Sanctified From Wickedness

Sanctification is necessary before we receive God’s blessings. He can’t bless a body if it’s polluted by the world, whether you’re talking about the corporate body or whether you’re talking about an individual body. God first separates His people from the world and bringing His people out of Egypt is a type of that. But after He brings His people into the wilderness, He separates them again. He separates the “leaven” out of their midst, those who worship false gods, those who are in rebellion and serve their own flesh.

We see over and over in the scriptures that God wants us truly sanctified, both from the world and from those who call themselves “Christians” but who continue to walk in the world. According to the Bible, sometimes unbelievers are what we call “Christians”. Jesus is the one who is qualified to identify believers. (Mar.16:17) And these signs shall accompany them that believe: in my name shall they cast out demons; they shall speak with new tongues; (18) they shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall in no wise hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. These are Christians the way Jesus made Christians, not Christians from the Dark Ages, which is much of what we have now.

When He identifies believers, He’s talking about Spirit-filled people who walk in His steps and that’s what we need to desire earnestly. We don’t want to be yoked, as in a fellowship with, the dark age Christians but we do want to influence them to come into the light. (2Co.6:14) Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers: for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? or what communion hath light with darkness? (15) And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what portion hath a believer with an unbeliever? (16) And what agreement hath a temple of God with idols? (We saw that the children of God actually created idols, like the golden calf in Exodus 32, that they thought were God.) for we are a temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. That’s what Christianity is all about! It’s not about us; it’s about Him.

(17) Wherefore Come ye out from among them.... Paul is talking to Christians when he says “ye” here because Paul was addressing the Church. So he says, (17) Wherefore Come ye out from among them, and be ye separate (The word “separate” is the best description for the word “sanctification” and that is “separation from the world.”), (17)…saith the Lord, And touch no unclean thing.... We see that God commanded His people to separate from apostate leadership because very little fruit of Christ and no power is manifest there. (Num.16:26) And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins. These people were rebellious against the Word and the true leadership. “Touching not” means “separation from”; it represents sanctification.

Back to (2Co 6:17) …And touch no unclean thing; And I will receive you, (18) And will be to you a Father, And ye shall be to me sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. Without “sanctification” or “holiness,” without hagiasmos, God doesn’t receive us and we don’t become sons of God for we stagnate as children of God. (Heb.12:14) Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man shall see the Lord.

(2Co.7:1) Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness (or “sanctification”-same Greek word ) in the fear of God. Those who are defiled need the “water for impurity” “sprinkled” upon them and the “water for impurity” is God’s Word, called “the washing with water by the Word”. We have to humble ourselves to God’s Word, letting it rule in our hearts and lives because this is what brings us out of our defilement. (Num.19:13) Whosoever toucheth (in other words, “is not separate from”) a dead person, the body of a man that hath died (The dead body, of course, represents the “old man who died in the waters of Baptism.”), and purifieth not himself, defileth the tabernacle of the Lord; and that soul shall be cut off from Israel: because the water for impurity was not sprinkled upon him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is yet upon him.

We need to be separate from the old man; he does not have authority in this vessel and he cannot rule our life. The cure for impurity is the Word of God. We saw in the Old Testament that God separated His people and we see in the New Testament that Jesus came to do the same thing. He came to separate His people from the apostates. Although, according to the Old Covenant, these apostates were already separated from the world, they were still full of the world. They who come out of Egypt must then get Egypt out of them. They are represented by the “mixed multitude”. They wouldn’t repent at the teaching and the preaching of the Lord, so the Lord called His people out of them, which is exactly what He’s doing today. When Jesus separated His disciples from the worldly church of that day, He came first to the Old Covenant people. (Joh.1:11) He came unto his own, and they that were his own received him not. It didn’t become the New Covenant until after they had rejected Him and the Covenant that He was bringing by His blood. And, if you look around, you can see that most of Christianity today is rejecting that Covenant.

Jesus said in (Joh.10:1) Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. (2) But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. (3) To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name.... Did you notice that we’ve been given a new name (Romans 6)?

The problem is that we don’t all live up to that name. (Mat.28:19) Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. (The literal translation there is “into the name,” not “in the name.”) They all have the same name because the word “name” means “nature, character and authority.” So when you are baptized “into the name,” you put on the “nature, character and authority” of the Lord and in (Exo.20:7) Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

In other words, don’t say you’re a Christian and don’t take His name in baptism, if you’re not going to walk in the nature and character of His name. (Joh.10:3) To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name.... It’s not a title He’s talking about; what should draw us unto Christ is His name, His nature, His character. These are what we desire because sanctification is living in the name of Jesus. (Col.3:17) Whatsoever you do, in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Joh.10:3) To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name (so we take His name), and leadeth them out.

(Col.3:4) When he hath put forth all his own (Jesus separated them, which is the first part of sanctification. He separated them from the apostate church of that day.), he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. Yes, we need to be able to hear the voice of the Lord and we do that by becoming familiar with His Word because He is the Word made flesh. (Joh.1:14) And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth. If we become familiar with His voice, we won’t follow another. (Joh.10:5) And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. These “strangers” He was talking about were the apostate leaders from whom He was delivering His people. They were the “thieves and robbers” who came before Him.

They weren’t overcomers and they had taken positions of authority that God hadn’t given them. (Rev.2:26) And he that overcometh, and he that keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give authority over the nations. God gives authority only to those who overcome and do His works, which the apostates refuse. (Joh.10:5) And a stranger will they not follow (Being unfamiliar with the nature and authority of the Lord makes them strangers.), but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

(6) This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them. (7) Jesus therefore said unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. (8) All that came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. This is a prophecy of the end time, and we’re going to have a repetition of history. In these days leading to the time of the coming of the Man-child ministry, a lot of people with all the wrong attributes have taken over the Church. They have not overcome and they have not been placed in their position by God.

(Joh.10:8) I am the door; by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and go out, and shall find pasture. (10) The thief cometh not, but that he may steal, and kill, and destroy (Babylonish religion is guilty of the blood of the saints and of the prophets. They believed they were God’s people, but the things that they taught and the spirits they put into people made them more enemies of Christ than followers of Christ.): I came that they may have life, and may have [it] abundantly. (Joh.10:11) I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd layeth down his life for the sheep. Jesus came to separate God’s people and to make them like Himself.

That’s going to happen once again in the very near future. The Lord Jesus is going to repeat everything you see here in the Gospels and in the Book of Acts. What method is God going to use to separate those who are His from those who are unrepentant apostates? (Joh.6:51) I am the living bread which came down out of heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: yea and the bread which I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world. So the “bread” symbolizes His flesh, but what does His “flesh” represent? (52) The Jews therefore strove one with another, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? (53) Jesus therefore said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, ye have not life in yourselves. We know that Jesus was “the Word made flesh” and as His disciples are to be the Word made flesh. The Greek word for “disciple” is mathetes, meaning “a learner and a follower.” He is our example of a Christian believer.

When the Word lives through you, it will separate you from the apostate Christianity. As Jesus said in (Joh.17:16) They are not of the world even as I am not of the world. (17) Sanctify them in the truth (In other words, separate them by the truth being in them.): thy word is truth. (Joh.18) As thou didst send me into the world, even so sent I them into the world. (19) And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.

Why is that important? The only person who could speak a Word from God was someone who was sanctified, someone who was holy. (Num.19:18) And a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that touched the bone, or the slain, or the dead, or the grave. Meaning the defiled apostate.

(So these are people who haven’t been sanctified and notice it says only “a clean person” is the one who can sprinkle the water for impurity.): (Num.19:19) and the clean person shall sprinkle upon the unclean on the third day, and on the seventh day: and on the seventh day he shall purify him (The seventh day is the day of rest; it’s when you enter into the rest by ceasing from your own works.); and he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and shall be clean at even.

The “even,” or “evening,” is when the Sabbath rest starts. Only a clean person could legally sprinkle the water for impurity upon somebody who was defiled, who was not sanctified, who was not separated from the world. Jesus said ”All that came before me are thieves and robbers.” The Pharisees and Sadducees weren’t clean and they couldn’t make anybody else clean just like those of our day. In other words, they couldn’t give away what they didn’t have.

You can take a true Word and put it in front of somebody who’s unclean and when they read and then teach that Word, it will be defiled by them. It takes a clean person to teach a clean Word. If you’re sitting under somebody you know is not clean, you’re not going to get the pure Word. It’s not possible. You might get some knowledge and you might even get some wonderful revelation, but it won’t be clean and the spirit behind it won’t be clean, either. Jesus said, (Joh.6:63) It is the spirit that giveth life; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I have spoken unto you are spirit, and are life.

God’s life is being manifested through the Words of Jesus; He was the Sower Who sowed the seed of the Kingdom (Matthew 13:3-23; Mark 4:3-20; Luke 8:5-15) and it’s still that way today. The Word can only come through Him. (1Jn.2:27) And as for you, the anointing which ye received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that anyone teach you; but as his anointing teacheth you; concerning all things, and is true, and is no lie, and even as it taught you, ye abide in him. We don’t have any need for any man to teach us; we only have a need for the Lord to teach us and a man who is sanctified can be used of the Lord to sanctify others, to “sprinkle” them with the “waters for impurity.”

So Jesus said to His disciples, “Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, ye have not life in yourselves.” We need to know how the blood is manifested because we can’t “drink” the blood if we don’t know where to get the blood. Well, didn’t Jesus turn the waters to “blood”? (Joh.2:5) His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. (6) Now there were six waterpots of stone (representing the body of clay flesh) set there after the Jews’ manner of purifying, containing two or three firkins apiece. (7) Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water (representing the Word). And they filled them up to the brim.

(8) And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the ruler of the feast. And they bare it. (9) And when the ruler of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and knew not whence it was (but the servants that had drawn the water knew), the ruler of the feast calleth the bridegroom, (10) and saith unto him, Every man setteth on first the good wine; and when men have drunk freely, then that which is worse: thou hast kept the good wine until now. (11) This beginning of his signs did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested his glory; and his disciples believed on him.

That was the first sign Jesus did and it was called a “sign” because it was a parable. The very first thing we need to do is to be filled with the Word and then Jesus will turn that “water” of the Word into “wine.” In the Lords supper the wine represented His blood. He will turn that “water” into His “blood,” which is His nature and character. The Word needs to be a part of us. You are what you eat and we need to partake of God’s Word.

(1Jn.1:7) But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light (What’s the “light”? The “light” is also the Word and the “light” is the “water”; they’re all the same parable.), as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin. As you “walk” in the “light,” as you “walk” in God’s Word, you are “drinking” the “blood.” So here He was giving them something that some of them thought was impossible.

(Joh.6:60) Many therefore of his disciples, when they heard [this,] said, This is a hard saying; who can hear it? (61) But Jesus knowing in himself that his disciples (Notice that now He’s calling them “disciples.”) murmured at this, said unto them, Doth this cause you to stumble? (62) [What] then if ye should behold the Son of man ascending where he was before?

(63) It is the spirit that giveth life; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I have spoken unto you are spirit, and are life. (64) But there are some of you that believe not. In other words, these were disciples, but they weren’t completely believers. You know, there are a lot of people who call themselves “Christians” but there are very few “disciples,” and very few believers, according to what Jesus called a “believer.”

A believer will have signs, and His works, as Jesus said. (Joh.14:12) Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater [works] than these shall he do; because I go unto the Father. A believer has a gift from God to “do” and to “see” because faith is our access to this grace in which we stand. (Rom.5:1) Being therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ;

(2) through whom also we have had our access by faith into this grace wherein we stand; and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. So if you have real faith, you’re going to have grace to “walk as He walked”, but there are some followers who do not believe. (Joh.6:64) But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who it was that should betray him. (65) And he said, For this cause have I said unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it be given unto him of the Father.

So there were a number of people there who were going to betray Him, not just Judas. Judas continued on with the disciples at this time, but these people were about to depart. (Joh.6:66)(Notice the number identifying the apostates, meaning, fallen away.” Upon this many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Notice what the Word did here: the Word separated those who were following as students of Jesus but who believed not. He didn’t separate Judas, but there were others there who probably would have been big trouble down the road. You know, God will have His Judases with us in the wilderness, but, thank God, not those we see around us now.

(Joh.6:67) Jesus said therefore unto the twelve, Would ye also go away? (68) Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. They were hungry for the Word! They wanted the Word! The other disciples said, “No, this Word’s too hard; we can’t do this!” (Joh.6:69) And we have believed and know that thou art the Holy One of God. (70) Jesus answered them, Did not I choose you the twelve, and one of you is a devil?

(71) Now he spake of Judas [the son] of Simon Iscariot, for he it was that should betray him, [being] one of the twelve. We know believers are going to be tried, just as God took Israel into the wilderness to try them, to see who would believe and who would murmur. (Joh.8:31) Jesus therefore said to those Jews that had believed him, If ye abide in my word, [then] are ye truly my disciples. The trial is to see if you abide in His Word and stay disciples.

Sure, you might be a Christian, but do you abide in His Word? Notice He was talking to “those Jews that had believed him.” They had believed that He was of God and yet some of them were going to be weeded out because they didn’t abide in His Word. We are warned, (Jas.1:22) But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deluding your own selves. There are many deluded people who don’t think it’s even possible to be obedient to God’s Word, but grace comes to those who truly believe and those people will be able to walk in the Word of God.

So “those Jews that had believed him” were deceived and in (Joh.8:33) They answered unto him, We are Abraham’s seed, and have never yet been in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? (34) Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Every one that committeth sin is the bondservant of sin. (35) And the bondservant abideth not in the house for ever: the son abideth forever. He’s talking here about a separation of people who were considered to be Christians. Don’t pay any attention to what the world considers to be a “Christian.” Pay attention to what the Bible says a believer truly is because that’s the only thing that’s going to count in the end.

The Lord is coming for those in whom the Word is manifested, those in whom the Word is made “flesh,” so there has to be a separation now because we have a lot of people who are claiming Christianity but they’re not Christians. (Rev.3:15) I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. (16) So because thou art lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spew thee out of my mouth.

This means spewed out of the body of Christ. You need to either come in or get out; you either have to be hot or cold and the Lord is going to force the issue in the days to come. Paul speaks about separating these people from the body. They had already been separated from the world because his letter is addressed to the Christians. (1Co.5:1) It is actually reported that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not even among the Gentiles, that one [of you] hath his father’s wife. Did you notice he said, “It is actually reported”? Somebody reported this!

The overwhelming majority of Christians won’t report this. But elders who are truly interested in obeying the Word of God will do something about this and it should be reported. Some people think, “Well, I don’t believe in ‘ratting’ on people.” Well, then you don’t believe in sanctifying the body! Don’t you remember what the Levites did in the wilderness? (Exo.32:27) And he said unto them, Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, Put ye every man his sword upon his thigh, and go to and fro from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor. (28) And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men. (29) And Moses said, Consecrate yourselves to-day to the Lord, yea, every man against his son, and against his brother; that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day.

They took up the sword and put to death those people who worshipped the golden calf, and the Lord said, “You have to do this to get to the blessing.” The “sword,” of course, is the Word of God. You have to use and submit and stand upon the Word of God. So somebody who was more interested in the sanctification of the body than “honor among thieves” reported this. There are people who think, “Well, this is my friend,” but the Levites picked up the sword even against their friends and even against their brothers.

The body has to be sanctified. We are not to be with idolaters. There’s nobody more important than the Lord and His body, and the body has to be sanctified. It’s everybody’s job to report willful sin to the elders because we see here that someone reported this to the apostle. We’ve been learning a lot about how to minister to people online, over the airwaves, and so on, but what do you do when people come into your midst and they’re “dirty”? They’re “leaven” and God says in (Gal.5:9) A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. Well, what you do is obey the Word: (Mat.18:15) And if thy brother sin against thee, go, show him his fault between thee and him alone: if he hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.

(16) But if he hear thee not, take with thee one or two more, that at the mouth of two witnesses or three every word may be established. (17) And if he refuse to hear them, tell it unto the church: and if he refuse to hear the church also, let him be unto thee as the Gentile and the publican. If someone comes to you with gossip or slander or to backbite against another person, instead of going to that person privately first, then you tell that someone to go and speak with the person. And if they say, “No, I don’t think I’ll do that,” then you go and you tell the person to see if it is a lie or truth! If it is a lie, you bring that gossip, or slander, or backbiting, or whatever the grievance may be out into the light and that will put an end to it.

(1Co.5:1) It is actually reported that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not even among the Gentiles, that one [of you] hath his father’s wife. This fornicator, who was defiling the body of Christ, was reported because somebody didn’t want the body of Christ to be defiled. I certainly don’t, the Lord doesn’t and I don’t think we should put up with it for the body’s sake. The Bible says that the man who touched the dead body defiled the tabernacle. As we saw, the dead body represents our old man and his sin that we are to be separate from in (Num.19:13) Whosoever toucheth a dead person, the body of a man that hath died, and purifieth not himself, defileth the tabernacle of the Lord; and that soul shall be cut off from Israel: because the water for impurity was not sprinkled upon him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is yet upon him. The “tabernacle” is God’s body in the wilderness, His portable temple in the wilderness. We need to be zealous and jealous for God.

(1Co.11:18) For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear (notice, somebody told him) that divisions exist among you; and I partly believe it. (19) For there must be also factions among you, that they that are approved may be made manifest among you. So factious people will come to make divisions. They want to build their own little kingdom by getting people to agree with them and they use slander and backbiting and so on to accomplish that. But notice he said that this test is to show who are are approved. Factions can come in order to test the body because God wants to separate the wicked from among the righteous. Factions show who is approved of God and take away the people who are not approved of God. He doesn’t want a little leaven to leaven the whole lump.

The Greek word there for “factions” is hairesis and it means “heresies.” According to Strong’s, this is “a self-willed opinion, which is substituted for submission to the power of truth, and which leads to division and the formation of sects.... Such erroneous opinions are frequently the outcome of personal preference or the prospect of advantage.” Obviously, these are opinionated persons who, quite often, use Scripture as well as slander, backbiting and so on, to separate people unto themselves. (Tit.3:10) A factious man after a first and second admonition refuse; (11) knowing that such a one is perverted, and sinneth, being self-condemned. In other words, separate from them.

If you have a factious person, somebody who is trying to divide the body, and they’re gossiping and slandering behind people’s backs, “refuse” them. Separate from them; don’t have anything to do with them. Your friendship with a man cannot be more than your friendship with the Lord. Notice that again we see, “when ye come together in the church, I hear....” Somebody told him; somebody brought it to the attention of the elders that these people were causing divisions. And he says, (1Co.1:10) Now I beseech you, brethren, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing and [that] there be no divisions among you; but [that] ye be perfected together in the same mind....

Of course, we should not let anybody come in with faction to divide you from somebody else by saying one thing to you and another thing to another. If they do that, they are going to separate the tares from the wheat and they are going to be one of the tares. But the people who are approved of God will not be separated by these sinners.

Only the wicked will be separated by the sly ways of the factious because only the wicked will break the rules and listen to gossip and slander contrary to God’s Word. Pro 17:4 An evil-doer giveth heed to wicked lips; And a liar giveth ear to a mischievous tongue. God will let these be taken out, but that’s okay because the factious can get only that which is their own and the body will be cleansed. (Joh.14:30) ... for the prince of the world cometh: and he hath nothing in me.... That’s what Jesus said.

(1Co.1:10) Now I beseech you, brethren, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing and [that] there be no divisions among you; but [that] ye be perfected together in the same mind and in the same judgment. (11) For it hath been signified unto me (Notice that somebody told them! Somebody here had an interest in not letting this go on in the body.) concerning you, my brethren, by them [that are of the household] of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. (12) Now this I mean, that each one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos: and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. 13 Is Christ divided? They were beginning to divide up, you see. They were having favorites and possibly holding grudges against each other, probably magnifying somebody else’s problem while they didn’t have the beam out of their own eye.

(Mat.7:1) Judge not, that ye be not judged. (2) For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured unto you. (3) And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? (4) Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me cast out the mote out of thine eye; and lo, the beam is in thine own eye? (5) Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye. If you want to be forgiven, you have to forgive, but that doesn’t apply to outward moral rebellion. It doesn’t apply to willful sin, like that of the man who was in fornication with his father’s wife (his stepmother).

You don’t forgive people who are willfully defiling the body, which is what this is talking about. Luk 17:3 Take heed to yourselves: if thy brother sin, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. People who are causing the divisions are in moral rebellion. (1Co.1:18) Is Christ divided? No, Christ is not divided. Criminals divide criminals out of the body. Jesus said, (Joh.17:20) Neither for these only do I pray, but for them also that believe on me through their word; (21) that they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us: that the world may believe that thou didst send me. (22) And the glory which thou hast given me I have given unto them; that they may be one, even as we are one;

(23) I in them, and thou in me, that they may be perfected into one; that the world may know that thou didst send me, and lovedst them, even as thou lovedst me. We want that kind of oneness, that kind of unity, but there will be people who are spots and blemishes who need to be separated. So God will permit a person with a factious spirit, or with unforgiveness, or with a critical spirit, and even with paranoia, and so on, come into the body and carry away the people who will listen to them. The ones who aren’t carried away will be the ones whom God has approved of, and this is a good thing in God’s eyes. We may wonder, “Why would You let that happen, Lord?” Well, He’s a sovereign God and He knows what He’s doing. He tests His people and removes the tares.

Deu 13:1 If there arise in the midst of thee a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and he give thee a sign or a wonder 2 and the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; 3 thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or unto that dreamer of dreams: for Jehovah your God proveth you, to know whether ye love Jehovah your God with all your heart and with all your soul. 4 Ye shall walk after Jehovah your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him. 5 And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death…

(1Co.5:1) It is actually reported that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not even among the Gentiles, that one [of you] hath his father’s wife. (2) And ye are puffed up, and did not rather mourn, that he that had done this deed might be taken away from among you. This is a Scripturally legal separation. God sends people to try us, to see if we’re going to permit them to stay and defile the body, or if we’re going to separate them from the body. Is it more important to us to be friends with these people and have some kind of a “greasy grace” for them or is it more important to us to have the sanctified body? It should be more important to us that we be holy individually and holy corporately; when these people come along, we should deal with them according to the Scriptures.

It’s not necessarily the elders who see this. Anyone who catches these people doing these things needs to speak up because notice again that Paul said, “It is actually reported that there is fornication.” (1Co.5:3) For I verily, being absent in body but present in spirit, have already as though I were present judged him that hath so wrought this thing (In other words, there is judgment and God does put it in the hand of His elders to come against people who do these kind of things to the body.), (4) in the name of our Lord Jesus, ye being gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, (5) to deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. There has to be a penalty, a cost involved. Just as with a rebellious child, you have to give them a reason to repent.

This is mercy because, if you permit people to continue on with their sinful, evil ways in your midst, they have no reason to repent and others will think it is acceptable. (2Th.3:6) Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which they received of us. They have to feel ashamed for what they’re doing and they need to be reported, if they continue to do it. (1Co.5:6) Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? You’ll have a leavened body and the individuals in that body will be leavened because of this poison in their midst.

(1Co.5:7) Purge out the old leaven (Separate from them! Be sanctified! Sanctify the local body as well as your own personal body.), that ye may be a new lump, even as ye are unleavened. For our passover also hath been sacrificed, [even] Christ: (8) wherefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Some people don’t know truth! Jesus said they are liars and they are of their father the devil.

(Joh.8:44) Ye are of [your] father the devil, and the lusts of your father it is your will to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and standeth not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father thereof. They don’t have a love for truth and, if you correct them, you are almost wasting your breath, so there has to be somebody with authority to make this separation. Those who permit this are puffed up and leavened through their acceptance of somebody who’s defiling the body of Christ.

(1Co.5:9) I wrote unto you in my epistle to have no company with fornicators (I.e. separate from them if you want God’s blessings.); (10) not at all [meaning] with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous and extortioners (Extortioners are people who use their position with you as a Christian to plunder you.), or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world:

(11) but as it is, I wrote unto you not to keep company, if any man that is named a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler (A reviler is somebody who is abusive, a railer; they speak against other people, usually behind their back.), or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one no, not to eat. What does he mean, “no, not to eat”? He’s talking about not partaking of the spiritual Passover with them. The spiritual Passover is when you eat the body and blood of Christ, and now we’re back to John again!

(Joh.6:53) Jesus therefore said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh (Word) of the Son of man and drink his blood (The life and nature of Christ.), ye have not life in yourselves. (54) He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life: and I will raise him up at the last day. (55) For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. (56) He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me, and I in him. (57) As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father; so he that eateth me, he also shall live because of me. (58) This is the bread which came down out of heaven: not as the fathers ate, and died; he that eateth this bread shall live forever.

We are partaking of the body and blood of Christ, but as we have seen we are not to eat with people who are defiled. In the Old Testament, there was the symbolism of eating with “defiled” hands, meaning their works were filthy. You don’t fellowship with these people, “with such a one no, not to eat.” You don’t break the bread of the Lord with somebody who is defiled; you separate from them. And the Lord’s Supper is, of course, a parable, too. We are constantly “breaking the bread” and partaking of the “blood” as we study the Word and share our revelations with one another. (Lev.17:11) For the life of the flesh is in the blood.... The “blood” represents the blood of Christ, which we manifest through partaking of His life and nature through the Word.

(1Co.5:12) For what have I to do with judging them that are without? Do not ye judge them that are within? (13) But them that are without God judgeth. Put away the wicked man from among yourselves. How many times does he have to say this? If you want a holy body, if you want the Spirit of God, the presence of God to be there, then “put away the wicked man from among yourselves.” If you don’t want the whole atmosphere defiled with demon-possessed people who refuse to repent, then “put away the wicked man from among yourselves.” Are we speaking of the lost who may come to be saved? No, as we just saw we don’t judge those that are without but those within the house. Show them the truth and if they don’t want it, show them the door. These people are not saved; it matters not what they once had.

For instance, the factious person is not saved because, if you don’t forgive, you are not forgiven (Matthew 18:23-35). They are slanderers and fornicators without conscience. You’re not walking in God’s salvation, if you walk in these sins, and something has to be done to shock you to deal with this. You can’t be lukewarm anymore. So God gives us these rules in order to force people to come to a decision before it’s too late.

(1Co.6:9) Or know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with men, (10) nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. (11) And such were some of you: but ye were washed, but ye were sanctified (That means you were “separated” from these sins.), but ye were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God. We have to do what the Word says is necessary to cleanse the body.

Many local bodies are totally defiled. They are just religion, that’s all they are, because they don’t have elders with the wisdom to separate from people who are defiled and won’t repent. (2Th.3:6) Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which they received of us. Jesus taught His disciples to sanctify the body, to separate from the body those who are not willing to repent.

(2Th.3:7) For yourselves know how ye ought to imitate us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; (8) neither did we eat bread for nought at any man’s hand, but in labor and travail, working night and day, that we might not burden any of you: (9) not because we have not the right, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you, that ye should imitate us.

(10) For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, If any will not work, neither let him eat. (11) For we hear of some that walk among you disorderly, that work not at all, but are busybodies. (12) Now them that are such we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread. (13) But ye, brethren, be not weary in well-doing.

(14) And if any man obeyeth not our word by this epistle, note that man, that ye have no company with him, to the end that he may be ashamed. (15) And [yet] count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. Another good example of sanctifying or separating the body. (2Jn.8) Look to yourselves, that ye lose not the things which we have wrought, but that ye receive a full reward.

There are many people who start out with us, but go astray as 3 out of 4 in the parable of the sower did. (9) Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in the teaching of Christ, hath not God: he that abideth in the teaching, the same hath both the Father and the Son. (10) If any one cometh unto you, and bringeth not this teaching, receive him not into [your] house, and give him no greeting (In other words, separate!): (11) for he that giveth him greeting partaketh in his evil works. Jesus said to those who believed Him in (Joh.8:31) ... If ye abide in my word, then are ye truly my disciples, and

The Church is not the place for evangelism; the Church is the ekklesia, the “called-out ones.” The Church is the place for the gathering of the brethren to study and pray. Evangelism is when you go outside the body to reach the lost which should be common. You tell them the Gospel and, if they repent and if they desire sanctification, then they become a part of the body. In the days of the apostles, people were afraid to join themselves to the Church because God protected it from sin. (Act.5:1) But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, (2) and kept back [part] of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles feet. (3) But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thy heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back [part] of the price of the land?

(4) While it remained, did it not remain thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thy power? How is it that thou hast conceived this thing in thy heart? thou has not lied unto men, but unto God. (5) And Ananias hearing these words fell down and gave up the ghost: and great fear came upon all that heard it. (6) And the young men arose and wrapped him round, and they carried him out and buried him. (7) And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. (8) And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much. And she said, Yea, for so much.

(9) But Peter [said] unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to try the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them that have buried thy husband are at the door, and they shall carry thee out. (10) And she fell down immediately at his feet, and gave up the ghost: and the young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her by her husband. (11) And great fear came upon the whole church, and upon all that heard these things. You know, that’s coming again! There are people who die today because they’re trying to join themselves to a body, but they are being deceitful. They’re not really there to submit to the Lord.

(Gal.1:8) But though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach unto you any gospel other than that which we preached unto you, let him be anathema. That means “devoted to God for destruction.” (Gal.1:9) As we have said before, so say I now again, if any man preacheth unto you any gospel other than that which ye received, let him be anathema. In other words, give him no greeting! Invite him not into your house! Be separate from him! Cling to the pure and holy Word!

Sanctification has to come before blessing. God first separates us from the world and then He separates us from those who are leavened and those who are carnal. He is making a spotless, blemishless body. The “spots and blemishes” in our midst are people who refuse to walk after the Lord. (2Pe.2:10) But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of defilement, and despise dominion. Daring, self-willed, they tremble not to rail at dignities:

(11) whereas angels, though greater in might and power, bring not a railing judgment against them before the Lord. (12) But these, as creatures without reason, born mere animals to be taken and destroyed, railing in matters whereof they are ignorant, shall in their destroying surely be destroyed, (That identifies the faction, Jezebels, witchcraft, and what is happening to them.)

(13) suffering wrong as the hire of wrong-doing; men that count it pleasure to revel in the day-time, spots and blemishes, revelling in their deceivings while they feast with you; (14) having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; enticing unstedfast souls; having a heart exercised in covetousness; children of cursing; (15) forsaking the right way, they went astray, having followed the way of Balaam the [son] of Beor, who loved the hire of wrong-doing.

(Jud.12) These are they who are hidden rocks (“spots”) in your love-feasts when they feast with you, ~~shepherds~~ (No Numeric pattern) that without fear feed themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn leaves without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; (13) Wild waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the blackness of darkness hath been reserved forever. (16) These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their lusts (and their mouth speaketh great swelling [words]), showing respect of persons for the sake of advantage. So correct them or separate from them.

In the Old Testament, how did God deal with the Korah, Dathan and Abiram rebellion? (Num.16:20) And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, (21) Separate yourselves (This is the word that means to “sanctify,” “sanctify yourselves.”) from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment. God was again condemning the whole congregation because, as a body, they were polluted. So what does God have to do? He has to make a smaller body that is not polluted. When you do that, you have to separate the wicked from among them and in this case it was those people who were bound and determined to follow false prophets, false pastors, false leadership. We are coming to a great division, and those who won’t “come out from among them” will be reprobated.

(Num.16:22) And they (Moses and Aaron) fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation? (23) And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, (24) Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. That’s what Jesus did. He went into the sheepfold and called His sheep by name, and they followed him. He separated them from those apostate leaders.

(Num.16:26) And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins. In other words, the Lord demanded, “If you want to live, this is what you must do. Separate yourselves, get away from their tents, their tabernacles, their churches and don’t touch anything of theirs.” So the people did that and God opened the earth and it swallowed up Korah, Dathan and Abiram, along with their families and all their possessions. Then the Lord sent out a plague that killed another 14,700 people because they murmured about it. In other words they sided with the sinners against God and Moses. And when they murmured about it once more, He separated them again.

Is God going to do that in these days? That is exactly what He is going to do in these days. He is going to have a spotless, blemishless Bride. He is also going to get rid of the corrupt people in the midst of the corporate body of Christ who do not repent. Of course, individually, He wants to clean us up, too. We’re talking about two kinds of separation here: sanctification for the individual and sanctification for the body. This separation is necessary for the blessing and the blessing in this case was that those who separated themselves from the rebellious weren’t destroyed along with them.

Why does He say, “touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins”? It’s because these people are corrupt; they are dead men. You know, the Lord said in (1Ti.5:6) But she that giveth herself to pleasure is dead while she liveth. There are people who are dead because they walk after the lusts of the flesh, they walk after the works of the flesh instead of becoming transformed by the renewing of their mind; that is, the mind of the spirit.

Let me share a little parable with you here that implies “not touching” is necessary in order to be sanctified and in order to receive blessing. (Num.19:11) He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days. Remember, you are not to touch anything of these corrupt people and that means don’t be influenced by anything that they have, do and think. Sanctification represents being separate from them. (2Co.6:17) Wherefore Come ye out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, And touch no unclean thing; And I will receive you. “Touching” is the opposite of “separate.”

Touching is when you are not sanctified; you’re too close to this dead person. The dead people are the ones we have to separate from. They have no business in the body. They’re “spots and blemishes,” darkness in a light body. They have to come out of the body and, if you do what the Bible tells you to do, they will either submit to the Word of God, repent and obey, or they will leave. If you preach the Word of God, they can’t stand it for very long. I’ve seen people come and go.

I’ve seen some people become sanctified, holy and walk in the steps of Jesus. And I’ve seen others who don’t fit in. They do all kinds of deceitful things and live in sin behind the scenes, and after a while they become offended. Then, finally, they leave because they can’t stand the Word. The Word is the sword. It will drive them out. If you love and submit to the Word, there will be people who don’t want to be around you. That sword will separate you from them, which is a good thing because a little leaven leavens the whole lump. In other words, if you are not sanctified, then you are unclean.

(Num.19:11) He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days. So what is this “touching the dead body”? What is this parable trying to tell us? Well, a good explanation can be found here: (Eph.2:1) And you did he make alive, when ye were dead (spiritually) through your trespasses and sins.... That means people who are walking in trespasses and sins are walking in death, aren’t they? And when you aren’t separated from them, that means you are not sanctified from their trespasses and sins. It means “a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump,” and the Lord doesn’t want you to have anything to do with that.

(Eph.2:1) And you did he make alive, when ye were dead through your trespasses and sins, (2) wherein ye once walked according to the course of this world (Christians who walk according to this world are dead while they live, just as Timothy says. They’re not alive because they are not sanctified. They’re “touching” the old man, the dead man.), according to the prince of the powers of the air, of the spirit that now worketh in the sons of disobedience; (So there are people who call themselves Christians but they are following the devil. You can’t get them to submit to the Word. You can correct them over and over, but they won’t and can’t submit to the Word because their nature is contrary to that.)

(Eph.2:3) among whom we also all once lived in the lust of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind.... (Rom.8:13) For if ye live after the flesh, ye must die; but if by the Spirit ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall live. People who walk after the flesh are dead people. You’re not walking in the light, walking in the Kingdom. If you’re not abiding in the life of Christ, which is partaking of His body and blood, you’re a dead man. You need to be separate from the old man; he is dead and gone. (Gal.2:20) I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me. That old man was crucified with Christ and he’s dead. If you go back and touch him, if you aren’t separate from him and he rules in your life, then that is where this destruction comes from.

(Eph.2:3) Among whom we also all once lived in the lust of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. There are a lot of Christians who are “children of wrath” because they are not separate from the old man. The old man isn’t dead and they’re “touching” him; they’re not separate from him. There are apostate churches where they don’t teach that when a person walks in outward immorality, it has to be dealt with so that the body is not corrupted.

They teach some kind of “greasy grace” where everybody is accepted, so individually and corporately, the whole body is totally corrupt. (Eph.2:4) But God, being rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, (5) even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace have ye been saved).

Of course, there are still people who are dead in their trespasses because they don’t believe in separating from sin. They believe that they are a sinner saved by grace and don’t understand that they were a sinner who has been saved by grace. Rom 5:8 But God commendeth his own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. So they think they can continue to live as a sinner the rest of their life but still go to Heaven. These people are dead. This is not a step-over-the-line type of thing. If you are not walking by faith now, you don’t have grace and you don’t have salvation now. Are you being saved now from your sins and the curse? Are you saved now, are you bearing fruit? Or are you “touching” the old man? Are you living in the works of the old man?

Well, Paul says here that you’re dead, if you’re doing that. If you walk after the flesh, remember that the soul that sins must die. Either you are walking in life or you are walking in death. He is telling you that there are people in the midst of the body who are dead and you are not to “touch” them. The flesh is dead; don’t have anything to do with it. We were crucified with Christ; it is no longer you who lives but Christ Who lives in you. Separate yourself from the old man and his works, both as an individual and as a body.

Let’s read it again. (Num.19:11) He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days (meaning until you enter the “rest” on the seventh day.). The “rest” is when you cease from your works. We just read that the people who live in the works of the flesh are dead. The Sabbath represents when you cease from your works and you enter into the rest through faith in God’s promises. (Heb.4:3) For we who have believed do enter into that rest; even as he hath said, As I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. That is the Sabbath according to the New Testament. So we have to separate, we have to come out from among them and be separate.

The Sabbath is no longer a physical day but we have entered the seventh thousand year day of God. Heb 4:9 There remaineth therefore a sabbath rest for the people of God. (This is the only place Christians are commanded to keep the sabbath and this word is only used once - Sabbatismos – meaning a continual rest.) As we have seen we are commanded to cease from the works of the flesh every day not one of seven.

Heb 4:10 For he that is entered into his rest hath himself also rested from his works (of the flesh), as God did from his.

(2Co.6:14) Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers: for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? or what communion hath light with darkness? A yoke couples two creatures together and you don’t want to be yoked to the old man; the old man is dead. You aren’t pulling alongside the old man, you aren’t giving the old man equal time, are you?

He’s dead and now you’re in control; you’re not supposed to let him lead at all. This is like those two stages of separation. The first separation was to come out of “Egypt” or, in other words, separate yourself from the wicked world. The second was to come out from among those who proclaim to be “Israelites,” yet they walk after the flesh, they walk after false prophets and false leaders.

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Sanctified From Wickedness (2)

(audio)

Valuable Sanctified Vessels

David Eells – 4/3/24

I want to share with you about the blessings that follow sanctification. We are entering into a new time right now! A time in which we’re going to receive blessings like the Bride has never seen before.

Isaiah 59 speaks about the terrible shape that Israel was in then and the terrible shape that the Church is in now because Israel is a type for the Church. At the end of chapter 59, God shows you what He’s going to do about it and in chapter 60 He begins to raise up His Bride and bring her out of the nations. The Bride is built through sanctification, through separation from the nations, and the wicked among us.

(Isa.59:14) And justice is turned away backward, and righteousness standeth afar off; for truth is fallen in the street, and uprightness cannot enter. (15) Yea, truth is lacking; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey. (People who stand up for truth like the Bride does receive ridicule and worse from those who claim to be the Church.) And the Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no justice. (16) And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his own arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it upheld him. (17) And he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on garments of vengeance for clothing.... This is the Lord coming with the armor of Ephesians.

This is the Lord coming and taking on a body. Jesus said, (Heb.10:5) ... a body didst thou prepare for me. He was speaking about a body of the son of David in which He, as the Son of God, came. And we know that, as we repent, the Lord is coming in all of us as His body. (2Co.3:18) But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit. He’s coming to be glorified in His people as the Word, Jesus manifested in us. He’s bringing a reformer to start a revival. The reformer is His firstfruits body that He has brought to maturity and will anoint with the latter rain, just as He anointed Jesus with the former rain. Jesus was the first firstfruits body in the New Testament.

So history is about to repeat and, this happens on the morning of the third day the latter rain comes. (Hos.6:2) After two days will he revive us: on the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live before him. (3) And let us know, let us follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is sure as the morning; and he will come unto us as the rain, as the latter rain that watereth the earth. We’re now at the morning of the third day from the last Adam and this latter rain is about to fall. It’s going to first anoint the Man-child. That’s God’s way of saying, (Mat.17:5) ... This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. Then it’s going to be poured out after 3-1/2 years upon the Church. The latter rain anointing will cause people to pay attention to the Man-child reformers.

There’s going to be a training period, during which He’s going to restore Scriptural order among His people. We know it’s a corporate body that’s coming, but it says in Isaiah that the Lord Himself is coming. He’s the One putting on the garments of vengeance for clothing. He did this in Jesus’ time and now He’s going to do it again in our time because (Ecc.1:9) That which hath been is that which shall be; and that which hath been done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. All prophecies usually have more than one fulfillment and the last fulfillment is the greatest fulfillment.

This prophecy is going to be fulfilled in our day: (Isa.59:17) And he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation (Does the Lord need the knowledge of salvation; No, His body does.) upon his head; and he put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a mantle. (18) According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, wrath to his adversaries, recompense to his enemies (We are seeing this beginning.); to the islands he will repay recompense. (19) So shall they fear the name of Jehovah from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun; for he will come as a rushing stream, which the breath (The same word for “spirit.”) of the Lord driveth.

The Lord is coming very quickly. (Hab.2:3) For the vision is yet for the appointed time, and it hasteth toward the end, and shall not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not delay. (Rev.3:11) I come quickly: hold fast that which thou hast, that no one take thy crown. (As the Lord says some will lose their crown.)(Rev.22:7) And behold, I come quickly. Blessed is he that keepeth the words of the prophecy of this book. (20) He who testifieth these things saith, Yea: I come quickly. Amen: come, Lord Jesus. He’s coming like He came in that first body, this time “as the rain, as the latter rain.” That former rain anointing from Heaven is the mantle that was upon Jesus and He’s bringing the latter rain anointing now.

The former rain anointing fell upon Jesus to empower Him to do that special work of bringing revival to a people He separated out of apostate Judaism. An anointing is coming once again, only this time it’s the latter rain upon His firstfruits. The firstfruits is a relatively small corporate body for a much larger corporate body of people who will be separated out of apostate Christianity. God’s going to repeat history on a larger scale, which is the way history always repeats.

(Isa.59:19) So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun; for he will come as a rushing stream, which the breath of the Lord driveth. (20) And a Redeemer will come to Zion.... The One Who lives in the body is Jesus bringing the power and the authority, and it is Jesus doing the works! A Redeemer will come to Zion, the Bride! (Rev.21:9) …and he spake with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the wife of the Lamb. (10) And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.

John was shown Jerusalem (Zion), coming down out of Heaven, born from above. There is still a Zion in the earth; there is still a King who is the son of David and there’s still a New Testament Kingdom of God, except they are in the spirit and not in the flesh. (Isa.59:20) And a Redeemer will come to Zion (the Bride), and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob (the Church), saith the Lord. Those who turn from transgression are those people who are sanctified, separated from sin, from the world, and separated from their flesh. He’s coming to these people and to build Zion, the Bride! Remember John the Baptist said, (Joh.3:29) He that hath the bride is the bridegroom, speaking of Jesus and those disciples who were following Him.

Back to (Isa.59:21) And as for me, this is my covenant with them (“Them” here represents Zion, the Bride!), saith the Lord: my Spirit that is upon thee… When the Lord spoke this through Isaiah, He was referring to Jesus, but now this is referring to Jesus in the Man-child of our day. And as you read Revelation 12, you can see it’s a repetition of history, but it’s actually in the future when the Man-child raises up the Woman Church. (Rev.4:1) After these things I saw, and behold, a door opened in heaven, and the first voice that I heard, a voice as of a trumpet speaking with me, one saying, Come up hither, and I will show thee the things which must come to pass hereafter. It was a long time after Jesus that John spoke of this as still being in the future, still being something to come. Revelation 12 is for our time.

Back to (Isa.59:21) And as for me, this is my covenant with them (the Man-child of our day), saith the Lord: my Spirit (the latter rain) that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth and forever. So Jesus was the Sower and He sowed the seed in the Bride of His day, those first-fruits disciples, and that seed didn’t depart from out of their mouth. When they spoke, it was just like Jesus speaking.

They had received authority to speak in His name and He sent them out to do His works. (Joh.14:12) Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto the Father. This same authority has not passed away. It will be in the mouth of the Man-child and the seed of the Man-child and will be passed on.

Isaiah 60 begins to speak of the great blessings, which come from this sanctification of the Word that the reformers are going to bring. (Isa.60:1) Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. (Zion) (Isa.60:2) For, behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon thee (The peoples are in gross darkness right now and it’s getting darker all the time and God says His light is going to arise on His Bride, His Zion.), and his glory shall be seen upon thee. (Isa.60:3) And nations shall come to thy light (He’s talking about the peoples of the nations who are chosen of God, those who are drawn of Him and who are given a gift of repentance and faith. They will come into the light of the Bride of Zion.), and kings to the brightness of thy rising. (Isa.60:4) Lift up thine eyes

(He’s still speaking to Zion.) round about, and see: they all gather themselves together, they come to thee; thy sons shall come from far.... Yes because, according to type, God’s people are taken captive to the nations every time that they fall into apostasy. The Beast conquers them and scatters them among the nations. God’s people are members of the nations in which they live and to which they pledge allegiance to, rather than His one holy nation of spiritual Israel.

(1Pe.2:9) But ye are an elect (“chosen”) race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. We’ve been called out of the darkness of the nations to become a part of a different Kingdom, a “peculiar” (KJV) Kingdom. Our Kingdom is the Kingdom of God and Jesus said in (Joh.18:36) ... My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.

Back to (Isa.60:4) Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: they all gather themselves together, they come to thee; thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be carried in the arms. (5) Then thou shalt see and be radiant, and thy heart shall thrill and be enlarged.... The Bride will be excited and ecstatic because God is going to do a wonderful thing in our day. People will be coming out of gross darkness and into the light of the Bride because of the gift of God.

Again, (Isa.60:5) Then thou shalt see and be radiant, and thy heart shall thrill and be enlarged; because the abundance (“crowds” or “multitudes”) of the sea shall be turned unto thee.... In Scripture, the “sea” represents the peoples, nations, tribes and tongues. (Rev.17:15) And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the harlot sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. We are coming out of the world, out of Babylon, and we’re returning to Zion in these days. We’ve all been taken captive to Babylon. The word “babel” means “a confused noise, typically by a number of voices.” So we’re coming out of a confusion in the world and in religion, and we’re coming back to the Lord.

Again (Isa.60:5) Then thou shalt see and be radiant, and thy heart shall thrill and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be turned unto thee, the wealth of the nations shall come unto thee. What “wealth” is this He’s talking about? Are we all going to be rich? In a way, yes, but these parables are not meant to be taken in the letter. It is the spirit. So this “wealth” we see here, is something we’re really going to need, especially the Bride to get the Gospel out quickly to the peoples.

(6) The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come; they shall bring gold and frankincense.... Do you remember this from something that’s already happened? The same people, as a matter of fact, came to bring gifts to the young Jesus. (Mat.2:11) And they came into the house and saw the young child with Mary his mother; and they fell down and worshipped him; and opening their treasures they offered unto him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.

Again (6) The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come; they shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall proclaim the praises of the Lord. (7) All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee.... I believe Father is talking about the “flocks” of His people who are going to be gathered together unto the Bride. Esther was raised up by her uncle Mordecai, meaning little man, representing the Man-child, to be the beautiful Bride who was chosen from among all the fair virgins of the kingdom.

Then she was also used by the Lord to bring preservation and salvation to the rest of the people of God, who were being threatened by Haman, representing the heads of the Beast. God’s people today will be rescued from bondage to the Beast. Again (7) All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth (“Nebaioth” meaning the leadership of “husbandry”) shall minister unto thee; they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar; and I will glorify the house of my glory.

(8) Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows? Doves make you think of the anointing of the Holy Spirit. (9) Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, for the name of the Lord thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee. Why are the “sons” coming from afar to be under Zion? It’s because the Bride which John said were the first disciples of Jesus will be elders over a people who come from every nation into one Kingdom, a holy nation, a chosen generation. The true Church is the one nation of New Testament spiritual Israel.

These riches of “silver” and “gold” that the sons bring with them could be spiritual and literal. (Rev.3:15) I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou were cold or hot. (16) So because thou art lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spew thee out of my mouth. (17) Because thou sayest, I am rich, and have gotten riches.... These people are very happy about having physical riches and they didn’t consider themselves to have any need in this world, but they didn’t have the riches of the Kingdom. In Acts when people came to the Lord their love of the world waned as the love of the people grew. They even sold their excess and laid it at the feet of the apostles to distribute for the needs equally.

(Rev.3:17) Because thou sayest, I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art the wretched one and miserable and poor and blind and naked. So they were really poor, according to the Kingdom. There is a materialistic “prosperity” doctrine that the Church has pretty much accepted and many people are quite satisfied with the things of the world but according to Jesus in the parable of the sower this causes many to fall away. But in Acts God took away the lust for worldly riches, and restored riches that are valuable in the Kingdom of God like the fruits of the Spirit..

I’m going to explain to you how these sons coming out of the nations to Zion bring their “gold and silver” with them. (Rev.3:18) I counsel thee to buy of me gold.... Now this is the true gold. How do you “buy” true gold? Jesus tells us, (Mat.10:38) And he that doth not take his cross and follow after me, is not worthy of me. (39) He that findeth his life shall lose it; and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. To gain the Kingdom we have to give up our love for the high life in this world. The Kingdom of God manifested in you is “gold” and “silver” and “precious stones.” (Rev.3:18) I counsel thee to buy of me gold refined by fire, that thou mayest become rich....

You can tell from the language used in Isaiah, he is speaking in parables and that the “riches” of “gold” and “silver” refer to spiritual riches of the soul that come from sanctification (2 Peter 1:4-11). But when a person turns toward these spiritual riches there is a sacrificial life that wants all needs to be met. (Rev.3:18) I counsel thee to buy of me gold refined by fire, that thou mayest become rich; and white garments, that thou mayest clothe thyself, and [that] the shame of thy nakedness be not made manifest; and eye salve to anoint thine eyes, that thou mayest see… (21) He that overcometh (They need to overcome the lukewarmness, the lack of the spiritual “gold” in the life of a believer.), I will give to him to sit down with me in my throne, as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father in his throne.

Jeremiah explained what “the throne of the Lord” represents. (Jer.3:17) At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it.... The throne is Jerusalem! It’s Zion! And Zion is the Bride! The Bride is the throne of the Lord, just as when in King David’s time, his throne was in Jerusalem, but now Jerusalem itself will be called the throne. (Jer.3:17) At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the Lord (In other words, the Bride will be manifesting the name of the Lord; manifesting His nature, character and authority.), to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the stubbornness of their evil heart.

This is what it is to be in the Bride. This is what it is to come out of the world and be sanctified, separated from the nations. (Jer.3:18) In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north (This represents them coming out of captivity or bondage.) to the land that I gave for an inheritance unto your fathers. Today, we’re returning to the land that was given for an inheritance to our spiritual forefathers. (1Co.4:15) For though ye have ten thousand tutors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I begat you through the gospel.

The Apostle Paul called himself a “father” and we do have the apostolic fathers, but much of the Church left that Promised Land 2000 years ago. Now we are returning to that inheritance because God’s going to restore everything that’s been taken from His people. And he goes on to say, (Jer.3:19) But I said, How I will put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of the nations! and I said, Ye shall call me My Father, and shall not turn away from following me. Jesus did call the Father His “Father” and He taught the disciples to also call Him “Father.” In the New Testament, that is the name we are supposed to be calling Him because it’s a different relationship altogether.

And so now we know the “gold” and “silver” coming out of the nations are these glorified people. They are the overcomers who have left the nations to go to the throne of the Lord, to gather around the Bride as they did in Acts. They are glorified in spirit and in soul, but not yet in body. They are manifesting the glory of the Lord! You know, Paul speaks of it in Timothy. Let’s read it because it will help with our understanding that there has to be a sanctification. The gold, silver and precious stones represent the nature of your life after you’ve been sanctified, after you’ve been cleansed of the wood, hay and stubble.

(2Ti.2:19) Howbeit the firm foundation of God standeth, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his: and, Let everyone that nameth the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness. Remember the name of the Lord is the throne of the Lord, which is Jerusalem. Going to Jerusalem represents this glorification of the sons and the daughters, who are coming with their gold and their silver, their born-again, resurrected nature.

(2Ti.2:20) Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some unto honor, and some unto dishonor. The gold and silver are vessels of honor, and the wood and the earth are vessels of dishonor. We’ve all been vessels of dishonor, but as we are sanctified, we become vessels unto honor. We become what is valuable in the Kingdom of God.

(2Ti.2:21) If a man therefore purge himself from these (Meaning purge himself from the wood and the earth, or the wood, hay and stubble of 1 Corinthians 3.), he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, meet (an archaic word for “able” or “fit”) for the master’s use, prepared unto every good work. (2Ti.2:22) But flee youthful lusts (the wood, hay and stubble.), and follow after righteousness, faith, love, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. The sons and daughters coming out of captivity from the nations are sacrificing the gold and silver of their carnal life to have the gold and silver of their sanctification; which is valuable in the Kingdom of God. The lukewarm Laodicean Church were rich in the world, but they weren’t rich in the Kingdom because they were full of wood, hay and stubble.

Many years ago, the Lord pointed out something to me that I’d like to share with you. I asked the Lord about my ministry, flipped my Bible open and just stuck my finger down at random. Not only did He show me something about my ministry, but He showed me something about what He’s going to do in the earth. The verse I received was (Ezr.6:5) And also let the gold and silver vessels (We are the gold and silver vessels.) of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the temple which is at Jerusalem (He took the people of God as captives to Babylon when they fell into apostasy. They were in bondage, much like the Church today is captive to Babylonish religion and politics.), and brought unto Babylon, be restored, and brought again unto the temple which is at Jerusalem, everyone to its place; and thou shalt put them in the house of God.

God gave this text to me many times. This is what’s going to happen, a restoration of God’s people to their Promised Land, their Kingdom that they lost when they were led away captive because of apostasy. Another time, I flipped my Bible open and received (Ezr.5:15) And he said unto him, Take these vessels, go, put them in the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be builded in its place. The firstfruits Man-child ministry that is to come will restore the vessels of God to their position. The Bride, New Jerusalem, is going to be restored. Old Jerusalem is lost and it’s not going to be restored, but Heavenly Jerusalem, the one the Bible calls the “holy city,” will be restored. It is born from above to those seeking sanctification.

Paul said in (Gal.4:25) Now this Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia and answereth to the Jerusalem that now is: for she is in bondage with her children. (26) But the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is our mother. It’s not the physical God is raising up; He’s raising up the spiritual, New Testament people of God, those who are Israelites according to the circumcision of their heart. They have been in Babylon for the last 2000 years, but now God is restoring them. Those vessels have been taken from Zion and in these days they will be returned to Zion!

We can see the same story in (Eze.37:21) And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God: Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the nations (The Church has been taken captive to the nations, just as Israel was taken captive to the nations when they fell into apostasy. The people of God are now more patriotic toward the carnal nation in which they live than being members of the spiritual nation of the Kingdom of God.), whither they are gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land (This is a promise of revival in our time.):

(22) and I will make them one nation in the land.... Peter said that they were one holy nation. In other words, all of the people of God, no matter what nation they live in, are a part of one holy nation. Now they need to separate and come out from among the worldly nations and be a part of that one holy nation. God is going to fulfill the parable that was lived out by the Jews. (1Co.10:11) Now these things happened unto them (the Jews) by way of example (The Greek word there means “type” or “figure.”); and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come. This type and figure is going to be fulfilled in our day as the New Testament children of Israel, those who are born from above, circumcised in heart, are coming out of the nations.

Back to (Eze.37:22) And I will make them one nation in the land, upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all; and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all. Remember that Jesus said in (Joh.10:16) And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice: and they shall become one flock, one shepherd. (1Jn.2:27) And as for you, the anointing which ye received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that anyone teach you; but as his anointing teacheth you; concerning all things, and is true, and is no lie, and even as it taught you, ye abide in him.

We have an anointing from the Holy One and we don’t need men to teach us. We need the Lord to teach us. If the men are filled with the Lord, filled with the Word and submitted to Him, then they can be vessels through whom the Lord can flow. The Lord came in a vessel of the son of David 2000 years ago to deliver His people from apostate Judaism and this time He will deliver His born again people from apostate Christianity. His people will come out of the nations to their true, Heavenly Kingdom where God rules. If Babylonish religion is ruling over you, that’s the same as Babylon ruling over you.

Back to (Eze.37:23) neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions; but I will save them out of all their dwelling-places, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God. Notice that where they dwelt outside of their Promised Land represented sin. Dwelling in the nations represents sin, but dwelling in the Kingdom represents holiness. Sanctification is to come out from among the nations and become a part of the Kingdom. (2Co.6:17-18) Wherefore Come ye out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, And touch no unclean thing; And I will receive you, (18) And will be to you a Father, And ye shall be to me sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

Back to (Eze.37:24) And my servant David shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in mine ordinances (This is a promise from God that He’s going to restore everything and the people who walk under Zion are going to walk a holy walk.), and observe my statutes, and do them. (25) And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant (Our New Testament Jacob is Jesus! Jacob raised up the 12 patriarchs and Jesus raised up the 12 patriarchs; history just repeats.), wherein your fathers dwelt (We’re going to live where our spiritual, apostolic fathers dwelt.); and they shall dwell therein, they, and their children, and their children’s children, forever: and David my servant shall be their prince forever. This represents Jesus in the end time corporate Man-child.

(26) Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them (God’s going to confirm the Covenant from which we have departed. He’s going to fulfill the great promises of the Covenant to His people.); it shall be an everlasting covenant with them; and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. Praise God! What an awesome promise!

(Deu.4:27) And the Lord will scatter you among the peoples, and ye shall be left few in number among the nations, whither the Lord shall lead you away. (Again, this represents being taken captive to the world, to Babylon. All the nations were gathered to Babel until God divided them by the tongue and so the major type of Babylon is the whole world, but lesser types of Babylon can be America, or religion, and so on.) (28) And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men’s hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell. (29) But from thence ye shall seek the Lord thy God, and thou shalt find him, when thou searchest after him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.

(30) When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, in the latter days (Obviously, that’s where we are right now.) thou shalt return to the Lord thy God, and hearken unto his voice: (31) for the Lord thy God is a merciful God; he will not fail thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them. God’s people wonder why they don’t have the benefits of the Covenant and it’s because they’re not walking by faith in it. All those benefits are ours now. The anointing is coming to restore not only the faith but wisdom and the truth to God’s people, so that they can go back under the Covenant. Then God can keep His part of the Covenant, which is the great blessings that come to those who are sanctified of unbelief.

(32) For ask now of the days that are past, which were before thee.... We need to find out what it was like to walk as sons of God, to walk in the steps of Jesus, to do His works. What did the Kingdom look like? We have to look back. We have to study the Word, if we want to hear the Word. (Isa.30:20) And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be hidden anymore, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers; (21) and thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it; when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left. We are hearing a Word, our covenant from 2000 years behind us and it’s saying, “This is the way, walk ye in it.”

Back to (Deu.4:32) For ask now of the days that are past, which were before thee since the day that God created man upon the earth, and from the one end of heaven unto the other, whether there hath been [any such thing] as this great thing is, or hath been heard like it? This is a great thing God’s about to do in the latter days! (33) Did ever a people hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire.... We’re going to hear because we’re going into the fiery furnace, heated seven times hotter. “Times” symbolizes “years” (Daniel 3:19; 7:25; Revelation 12:14) and “seven times” represents the Tribulation. We’re going into the fire, but like the three Hebrews in Daniel 3, God’s going to preserve us. He’s doing this to burn off our bonds and we will walk with the King in the fire. It’s a picture of sanctification; fire purifies, it makes holy.

Again (33) Did ever a people hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as thou hast heard, and live? (34) Or hath God assayed to go and take him a nation from the midst of [another] nation, by trials, by signs, and by wonders, and by war, (God’s going to use all those things to take us out of the physical nation that we’re idolizing in our patriotism and He’s going to bring us into the nation of the Kingdom of God, our Promised Land, where God can fulfill these awesome promises.), and by a mighty hand, and by an outstretched arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?

He highly motivated the Israelites to come out of Egypt by bringing judgments upon Egypt. He ultimately separated the Israelites from the judgments of Egypt, but Egypt was being destroyed and the Israelites had no choice but to leave there and go into the wilderness where God commanded them to go. The “wilderness,” is the Tribulation, where people will learn to walk by faith in God, and learn to live on the promises. It’s where the gold, the silver and the precious stones will be manifested, rather than the wood, hay and stubble of our idols back in “Egypt.”

(Isa.60:10) And foreigners shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee: for in my wrath I smote thee, but in my favor have I had mercy on thee. Yes! We’re coming to a time of judgment and a time of favor simultaneously. The judgment will cause God’s people to flee the world and to seek refuge in the Kingdom. Our refuge is only abiding in Jesus Christ which is the Kingdom of God. (11) Thy gates also shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night; that men may bring unto thee the wealth of the nations (The “wealth” is natural but also spiritual as these very valuable people who carry the nature and life of Jesus Christ.), and their kings led captive. (12) For that nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish.

(This will happen in the Tribulation period to the nations of the world who won’t serve Zion. They won’t serve Zion’s King, so judgment will fall upon them and they will perish.); yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted. The reason the judgments are going to fall upon the world is because of what they’re doing to God’s people. The world is going to put God’s people on their crosses, spiritually-speaking, but this is for the purpose of sanctifying them. The crucifixion of the old man, and sanctification of being delivered from the wood and earth in order to have the gold and silver.

(13) The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir-tree, the pine, and the box-tree together, (These are evergreen trees that represent eternal life.) to beautify the place of my sanctuary (The presence of God in His people makes the place of His sanctuary beautiful.); and I will make the place of my feet glorious. (14) And the sons of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee The city of the Lord, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

The Beast kingdoms in times past recognized the power of the people of God. A good example is Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. He recognized the value of the people of God, their understanding and the power of their God. He knew how their God had wrought deliverance for them through judgments on Egypt after Egypt had brought God’s people into bondage. The whole world is going to get a demonstration of the power of God to save His people. They are going to respect the people of God. So-called “Christianity” has not been very respectable since the falling away, but the world is going to respect true Christianity in the days to come. The world is going to respect the people in whom Jesus lives, walks and does His works.

The Man-child restoration is in two stages. First the David Man-child body will fight the wars with the factions around them as David did. This will win the peace for the Soloman Man-child stage to build the spiritual temple of God’s people, which the David’s prepared for. The restoration of the “greater works” begins. The days of Jesus are back and more. He will be great until the end. Luk 2:34 and Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the falling and the rising of many in Israel; and for a sign which is spoken against.

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Sanctified From Wickedness (3)

(Audio)

Escaping Apostasy

David Eells 5/12/24

Let’s look at the letters to the seven churches since there’s so much in them about the apostasy or falling away among God’s people. I believe that the letters to the churches are also letters to certain kinds of Christians, which are symbolized by each church. Of course, I know that there’s a prophetic value there, too (Revelation 1:3), but people should be able to recognize themselves in one of these churches. This is not a complete study of the Churches, but some very important things that we can take warning from.

Beginning in (Rev.2:1) To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, he that walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks: (2) I know thy works, and thy toil and patience, and that thou canst not bear evil men, and didst try them that call themselves apostles (People who fall away because of their pride and so forth, many of them are calling themselves prophets and apostles, but we need to test them. They need to have the signs of an apostle.), and they are not, and didst find them false; (3) and thou hast patience and didst bear for my name’s sake, and hast not grown weary.

People do get tired when they don’t keep their eyes on the Lord and His promises, which pick you up and give you courage and faith. We must keep our eyes on Jesus and the promises that He’s made. Don’t get worried or anxious, because the devil likes to wear you down and then, before you know it, you’ve fallen-away.

(Rev.2:4) But I have [this] against thee, that thou didst leave thy first love. Yes, a lot of people have started out really in love with Jesus and wanting to know all about Him, but it doesn’t take long before they’ve been side-tracked by these false apostles or false pastors or false leaders. (5) Remember therefore whence thou art fallen, and repent and do the first works… The “first works” were wanting to know what it is to please the Lord. You wanted to know how to obey the Lord but you probably didn’t read enough of the Book to find out what a church looked like, so you went to something that you thought was a church where, sadly, you were led astray and wasted a whole bunch of time. Go back! Go back and be obedient to the Lord as when you first entered into Christ, before you were led astray by these charlatans who told you that you didn’t have to be obedient.

(Rev.2:5) Remember therefore whence thou art fallen, and repent and do the first works; or else I come to thee, and will move thy candlestick (The Greek word translated “candlestick” denotes “an oil-fed, portable lamp.”) out of its place, except thou repent. That’s a falling-away. He is the One Who stands in the midst of the candlesticks. He is the One Who keeps your “oil-fed, portable lamp,” lit. You have to have fellowship with Him, and He is the Word. The best way to pray is when you read the Word. If you see something you like, then pray it. You can read the Word and pray at the same time. Whenever you run across something you know you need, or are lacking in, anywhere you see a promise, stop and pray. Stop, repent if you need to, and pray. Oh, thank you, Father, for pouring the oil of Your Spirit into the lamps of our portable tabernacles! Amen.

(Rev.2:6) But this thou hast, that thou hatest the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. The Nicolaitans started out with a priestly order, like that of the Old Testament, where there is a priest between you and God, and that’s what Catholicism started doing. There is a priest over the church and between you and God and so forth, and the Protestants picked it right up because their apple didn’t fall far from the tree and now the pastor is the head of the church for them, too. But there’s nothing more false in the whole Scriptures. That is the Nicolaitan error, which He said He hated, and that the church in Ephesus also hated.

(Rev.2:7) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. To him that overcometh, to him will I give to eat of the tree of life… Between Adam and the “tree of life” there was the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” (Gen.2:16) And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: (17) but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. Well, as we know, Adam failed that test and he had to be removed from the garden lest he eat of the “tree of life” (Gen 3:22-24). However, we who have been born-again, have the power to do something with the knowledge of good and evil. The natural man doesn’t have that; we who are born from above have that.

(1Co.2:14) Now the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; and he cannot know them, because they are spiritually judged. Therefore, we are to study the knowledge of good and evil in the Scriptures, not necessarily what men say is good or evil, but according to what the Scriptures say. We are to study it and know it. (Rev.2:7) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. To him that overcometh (That’s somebody who studied it; they know it, and they’re obeying it.), to him will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God.

(Rev.2:8) And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These things saith the first and the last, who was dead, and [lived] again: (9) I know thy tribulation, and thy poverty (but thou art rich)… Yes, they are rich in the ways of the Kingdom. (Jas.2:5) Hearken, my beloved brethren; did not God choose them that are poor as to the world [to be] rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to them that love him? And, yes, they are beloved.

(9) I know thy tribulation, and thy poverty (but thou art rich), and the blasphemy of them that say they are Jews, and they are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. It’s interesting that this is addressing the church, but he is speaking about the church error, in which there are Jews who claim to be Jews, yet they are not Jews according to the New Covenant, the New Testament. It’s important to understand this. Unless you’re born-again, you’re not a member of the New Covenant, nor are you a Jew according to the New Testament. We’re told, (Rom.2:28) For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh: (29) but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

The Jews had a “letter” Covenant; it was according to the letter. The Christians have a spiritual Covenant; it is a spiritual fulfillment of the Old Testament type. We don’t inherit their literal promises; we’re not replacing them in a literal way. Their land is not our “land.” Our “land” is a spiritual land, as we were taught (John 17:14,16, John 18:36; 1 John 2:15). So if you’re a member of the New Covenant, you have been circumcised in heart, which is having the “flesh” cut away from your heart.

When He says that they are a “synagogue of Satan,” it’s obviously identifying physical Jews and He’s telling the church that these people are not Jews. They’re claiming to be Jews, but they are not. They are a synagogue of Satan. Why would they be a synagogue of Satan? It’s because they’re not born from above. If you’re born from above (John 3:3), you’re circumcised in heart. It doesn’t matter if you’re a physical Jew or a Gentile.

We can see this borne out again very well here. (Rom.9:25) As he saith also in Hosea, I will call that my people, which was not my people (That’s because His original people were all physical Jews.); And her beloved, that was not beloved. (So He loves someone that is not a Jew and was not called “my people.”) (26) And it shall be, [that] in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people (This is the Gentiles.), There shall they be called sons of the living God. (27) And Isaiah crieth concerning Israel, If the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, it is the remnant that shall be saved. He’s talking about natural Israel there; only a remnant of natural Israel “shall be saved,” however, we know that “all Israel” shall be saved who is grafted into the “Olive Tree” (Rom 11:26).

(Rom.11:19) Thou wilt say then, Branches were broken off (Those “branches” were natural Israel.), that I might be grafted in. (20) Well; by their unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by thy faith. Be not highminded, but fear: (21) for if God spared not the natural branches, neither will he spare thee. In other words, if you walk in unbelief concerning His Word, you also shall be cut-off. (22) Behold then the goodness and severity of God: toward them that fell, severity; but toward thee, God’s goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. (23) And they also, if they continue not in their unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again.

(24) For if thou wast cut out of that which is by nature a wild olive tree, and wast grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree; how much more shall these, which are the natural [branches], be grafted into their own olive tree? (25) For I would not, brethren, have you ignorant of this mystery, lest ye be wise in your own conceits, that a hardening in part hath befallen Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in;

(26) and so all Israel shall be saved: even as it is written, There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer;(Jesus in the Man-child reformers) He shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: (27) And this is my covenant unto them, When I shall take away their sins. So we should fear, lest we walk outside the bounds of God’s Covenant, which is His Word to us. Many do, and they see no problem with that, whatsoever, but we know it to be extremely dangerous because we’re going to be judged according to our works.

Going back to the church of Smyrna (Rev2:10) Fear not the things which thou art about to suffer… Yes, we will suffer, although many people falsely think we won’t have to suffer. We will suffer, and that suffering, of course, is losing our life: It’s the “old man” dying and the “new man” taking his place. Whatever we have to go through to lose our old life and gain our new life, it is necessary, and it is suffering. You have to suffer the loss of your carnal life and the carnal way of living. You need to remember that there’s an important difference between those who are “sons” of God and those who are “children” of God. “Sons” of God follow the Spirit of God; “children” do not.

Christ is our example of suffering. (1Pet.4:1) Forasmuch then as Christ suffered in the flesh… He went to His Cross; His flesh was crucified. He said, (Mat.10:38) … he that doth not take his cross and follow after me, is not worthy of me. And also, (Luk.14:27) Whosoever doth not bear his own cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. That means we, too, must go to a spiritual cross of death to self. (2Co.4:16) Wherefore we faint not; but though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day. As you die, you live.

(1Pet.4:1) Forasmuch then as Christ suffered in the flesh, arm ye yourselves also with the same mind; for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin… There is no law against somebody who has “ceased from sin”. Suffering in the flesh gives a person the fear of God and it’s a proof that they’re losing their life. A person losing their carnal life is not going to fall away. Suffering is the normal Christian life, and we should expect it to be that.

(2) that ye no longer should live the rest of your time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. This is extremely important, because if we walk after the flesh, we must die (Rom 8:13). That’s a falling-away, isn’t it? How do we avoid the falling-away? The flesh has to die, because it will do nothing but try to subvert you the rest of your life. And according to this, we don’t have to live the rest of our “time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.” We have to live the crucified life. People grow very quickly once they realize that their cross is to deny themselves and follow Jesus. Most religion doesn’t teach denying self, but then, people don’t grow up in God through most religion, either. So we see that this must be done. It is a suffering, but it must be done.

(Rev.2:10) Fear not the things which thou art about to suffer: behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried… We know of somebody who was cast into prison to be a type and shadow for us, and that was Joseph (Gen 39:20), who came out of that prison to become the second ruler of the kingdom (Gen 41:40). He represents Jesus, and he also represents the Man-child in our day. The Man-child company in these days is suffering at the hands of wicked men, and it is for the good purpose of their crucifixion. That will prepare the Man-child to lead the Woman into the wilderness, but the Woman in the wilderness still needs to have the same fruit of Jesus Christ.

That means there is a time for the Woman in the wilderness to also suffer in the exact same way, to suffer by being “cast into prison.” You know, there are lots of things we can’t do. We’re limited by the “bars” of the Word of God from doing them, because obeying the Word crucifies us. It restrains the “old man” to the point that he dies. Joseph was prepared through a death to rule, and Jesus preached to the souls in prison until He was resurrected to rule, and now He reigns. That’s a parable for us. We, too, all of us, not just the Man-child but the Bride and Woman who goes into the wilderness will also be going through the exact same thing that the Man-child has gone through, at the hands of wicked people.

(Rev.2:10 …that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life. Notice the condition here. People falsely think that salvation has been put into their hand when, actually, salvation is in Christ. And we know that when Christ went to the Cross, we went with Him as far as the sacrifice is concerned. (Gal.2:20) I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me: and that [life] which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, [the faith] which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me.

We still need to go to our cross, but we reckon that it was done at the Cross. We believe we have received, as Jesus taught us (Mark 11:24). We need to be “faithful unto death,” the death of self, and, if necessary, the death of this old fleshly body. For some, it will take that much for them to enter into the Kingdom. But we, at the very least, have to die to self. Self is the enemy of God that must be crucified, and that’s what we’re here to do. We need to learn that lesson well.

So as we read, (1Pe.4:2) … ye no longer should live the rest of your time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. Once you learn how to cooperate with God, you can do this fairly quickly, and then you’re in a position where God can use you. You get the “crown of life” for death; you enter into God’s Life through death, death to self. Before that, you’re not trustworthy because you’re living after the flesh. You have many idols to distract you, many rulers besides God but, of course, once you’re crucified, there is only one Ruler, and that’s the Lord. When He is the Head, there’s not much chance that you’re going to fail God because it’s the flesh that walks astray; it’s not the spiritual man.

(Rev.2:11) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. “Overcoming” is overcoming the things that we’re reading about. It’s obvious that when people fall away, they’re not overcoming, but we’re called to be overcomers. There are no promises in the letters to the churches for those who are not overcomers, therefore, we must lose our life. Just as our Lord took up His Cross, we are here to take up our cross and follow Him.

(Rev.2:11) …He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. What is the “second death”? (Rev.20:11) And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat upon it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. (12) And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne; and books were opened: and another book was opened, which is [the book] of life: and the dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works.

Everybody’s going to be judged according to their works. You may say, “David, I thought we are judged according to our faith.” No, faith is manifested through works. Faith without works is dead (James 2:17). The proof of faith is works. If a person believes, they will walk with the Lord. If they don’t believe, they won’t walk with the Lord. Therefore, all that God has to do to judge our faith is to judge our works. That’s why it says, “according to their works.”

Those people who think they can live any way they want to live and still call themselves a “Christian” or “believer,” they don’t believe that their sins were taken away. If they did believe that their sins were taken away, they would constantly be being taken away and it would be seen in how they live. No, their faith is hollow; they’re just “accepting the Lord,” but there’s nothing about “accepting the Lord” in the Bible. We’re commanded to repent and believe the Gospel The Greek word for “repent” means to “change your mind” and believe what God says. This is what religion refuses to do, and that’s why they’re in rebellion, and that’s why there’s a great falling-away. There is a great falling-away, and it’s their fault. Their blood is on the Harlot. (Rev.17:6) And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all that have been slain upon the earth.

(Rev.20:13) And the sea gave up the dead that were in it; and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. (14) And death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death, [even] the lake of fire. (15) And if any was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire. How do you get into the Book of Life? Well, according to that text, it has everything to do with your works.

Then how do we change our works? We do that through the Blood of the Lamb. We accept the fact that we were crucified with Him and now it’s no longer we who live, but it’s Christ Who lives in us. And our good confession is accepted by the High Priest of our Confession, and that is Jesus Christ. He is the One Who gives us authority over the old flesh. He is the One (Php.2:13) … who worketh in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure. That’s not true of everybody who claims to be a “Christian.” Many don’t have the Will of God in them; they have their own will, which is self-will. That’s why “self” has to die.

(Rev.2:12) And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These things saith he that hath the sharp two-edged sword: (13) I know where thou dwellest, [even] where Satan’s throne is; and thou holdest fast my name… That is, of course, what it takes not to fall away. (Now this is not a study of Revelation, this is a study of the falling-away, so there are things I’m going to skip over in order to emphasize the things that could possibly cause you to fall away.) We know that the word “name” in the Greek is onoma, which means “nature, character, and authority.” We hold fast to the real Jesus, His nature, His character, and His authority.

I would say that a lot of the church has denied that. They have created a new “Jesus” in these days, as Paul said (2 Cor 11:3-4; Gal 1:6-9) and, of course, that only makes you anti-Christ. A new Jesus makes you anti-Christ. The prefix “anti” not only means “against,” it also means “in the place of” because you’ve replaced the Jesus of the Bible with the Jesus of your religion. We need to learn not to go astray from the real Jesus.

(Rev.2:13) I know where thou dwellest, [even] where Satan’s throne is; and thou holdest fast my name, and didst not deny my faith… As we’ve seen, this is so important because “he that endureth to the end” in faith, is going to have what they’re believing for, by the grace of God. Don’t deny the faith. Many people do deny the faith every time they speak, since they speak totally contrary to the promises of God. The Bible says, (Rom.10:9) … if thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus [as] Lord, and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. We need to speak, what the Bible says about us. The word “confess” is the Greek word homologeo, which means “to speak the same as.” We are told to say what God says.

(Rev.2:13) …and didst not deny my faith, even in the days of Antipas my witness, my faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwelleth. Yes, of course, some will die. Some will be martyred. We’re all going to be spiritual martyrs if we’re going to make it into the Kingdom. The old man is going to be crucified, so we’re all going to be spiritual martyrs, and some will be physical martyrs, too, but if they stay faithful unto death, He will give them a “crown of life”.

(Rev.2:14) But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there some that hold the teaching of Balaam… We know Balaam was a hireling. Balak hired him, and he was tempted and lusted after the things that Balak had to offer him. There are many hirelings out there that do what they do for profit, and when a person is perverted in that way, you can’t trust anything they say or teach. If all they have their eyes on is the money, the gain, and the ego trip, they’re not trustworthy; they have no business being in the ministry at all and you shouldn’t be following them. It’s sad, but there are many Balaams out there.

(Rev.2:14) …who taught Balak to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit fornication. What is it to “sacrifice” to “idols”? Anything can be an idol if it is more important to you than God. When you put it before God, if you serve it, if your money is wound-up in it, if your time is wound-up in it, then you’re robbing God of the time that a disciple would spend with Him and money that would be going toward doing His work. One way or the other, it’s a sacrifice. You can be sacrificing the old life, or you can be sacrificing the new life. So in the church at Pergamum, they were sacrificing things to idols. We are told in, (1Jn.2:15) Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. That’s the same way with idols. However much you love an idol, it’s that much that you do not love the Father.

(1Co.10:14) Wherefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. (15) I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say. (16) The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a communion of the body of Christ? “Communion” means “having in common.” Do you spend a lot of time with people who are idolators? Do you have things in common with people who are idolators?

Scripture tells us very plainly how we are to live. (Rom.12:1) I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice (Are you presenting your body as a living sacrifice to the Lord and to His work? Or are you sacrificing your body to the world and to the love of the world and the things of the world?), holy, acceptable to God, [which is] your spiritual service. (2) And be not fashioned according to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. We are to sacrifice of our own mind and thoughts and actions because we give in to God’s mind and thoughts and actions. We make this body do what is in agreement with the Word. We should not sacrifice our spiritual, higher, life to this world.

People can be idols in your life, as Jesus said. (Mat.10:37) He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. After you come into the Kingdom and you’re of age, you are called upon to follow your heavenly Father, your Lord, Jesus Christ. You’re not called to follow your earthly father or mother; you’re called to honor them, but not to follow them. They may not know what you know and so you would, of course, be an idolator if you followed them instead of Jesus. (Mat.10:38) And he that doth not take his cross and follow after me, is not worthy of me. (39) He that findeth his life shall lose it; and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

Let’s go back to (Rev.2:15) So hast thou also some that hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans in like manner. Now remember what we’ve already learned about the Nicolaitans. (Rev.2:6) But this thou hast, that thou hatest the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. The Greek word Nikolaités which is translated “Nicolaitans,” is made up of two words: nikos meaning “a conquest, triumph, victory,” and laos meaning “a people, particularly used of the people of the Lord...the root of the English term ‘laity.’” When you put them together, “Nikolaités means “to conquer the people.” God says He hates this, and the people of the church at Ephesus also hated it.

It’s a very destructive doctrine that’s prevalent in the churches. The Nicolaitans followed the Old Testament, priestly order. They put the priest between you and God, which is false doctrine. We know that we are a “kingdom of priests”, but we’ve been called to not follow a priestly order. In these days, we are all priests and we all have a sacrifice to make, the sacrifice of this old flesh. We’ve been called to follow the Lord.

That priestly order came through Catholicism right on down to the Protestants, who have put the pastor in the place of the priestly order. The pastor is the undisputed head of the church and it revolves around him but, of course, we know that this is totally false doctrine because the Bible says otherwise. In (Eph.4:11) And he gave some [to be] apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; (12) for the perfecting of the saints… Notice the Lord gave the five-fold ministry “for the perfecting of the saints.” Their one-fold ministry cannot perfect the saints. Any church that is working properly will have a multiplicity of input of the gifts, of the ministries, and so on. This is where we’re headed; We’re going back to the five-fold ministry as God has chosen. It is a place of safety for God’s people.

(Eph.4:12) For the perfecting of the saints, unto the work of ministering… He’s raising us up to minister in one form or another. Not everybody can be a preacher or an elder in the church; it’s not permitted, in many cases, but we can all minister. The Greek word translated “minister” is diakonia and it just means “serve.” (13) … till we all attain unto the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a fullgrown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.

When everybody but the pastor is a spectator, and they just sit there and they’re not learning to serve, they’re not learning to be ministers, does it surprise you that nobody’s growing up under this Nicolaitan error? That’s why God says He hates it so much, and He gives credit to the churches that also hate it. (Eph.4:14) That we may be no longer children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men (Yes, this is what a Nicolaitan preacher is all about.), in craftiness, after the wiles of error.

There’s another important benefit of the five-fold ministry: (Pro.11:14) Where no wise guidance is, the people falleth; But in the multitude of counsellors there is safety. The true Church is made up of specialists. The Nicolaitan error is that the pastor usurps the rest of the five-fold ministry. That is not permitted, because “in the multitude of counselors, there is safety.” If one man goes astray, he’s going to take everybody with him, unless there’s a church split where some people disagree with the man and others blindly follow him.

(Pro.15:22) Where there is no counsel, purposes are disappointed; But in the multitude of counsellors they are established. The purposes of God are established in “the perfecting of the saints, unto the work of ministering.” The purposes of the Christian, in growing up and not staying a child the rest of their life, is a purpose that needs to be fulfilled.

When will the five-fold ministry be restored to the Church. History repeats. Jesus the Man-child raised up the apostolic leadership who raise up churches and appointed five-fold elders to rule them. So the coming Man-child body will repeat this in the beginning of the Tribulation.

(1Ti.5:17) Let the elders that rule… First of all, you have to see here that the elders rule. The elders are not assistants to the pastor. That’s the Nicolaitan error. The elders are the five-fold ministry but this escapes a lot of people. (1Ti.5:17) Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and in teaching.

Let me show you how elders are ordained of God as ministers of God as a five-fold ministry. (Act.20:17) And from Miletus he (This is the apostle Paul.) sent to Ephesus, and called to him the elders of the church. An elder is first somebody who is older in the Lord, who is able to lead other people not someone who has been merely ordained by men to that position. So Paul called the elders together.

(Act.20:18) And when they were come to him, he said unto them … (28) Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit hath made you bishops (“Bishop” is the Greek episkopos meaning an “overseer.” Notice that the elders are the “bishops,” the “overseers,” the five-fold ministry ordained by God.

Some qualifications for Bishops or elders are in 1Ti 3: 2 The bishop therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, orderly, given to hospitality, apt to teach; 3 no brawler, no striker; but gentle, not contentious, no lover of money;), to feed the church of the Lord (Teaching and feeding the Church is the job of the five-fold ministry.)

Back to Acts 20:28…which he purchased with his own blood. (29) I know that after my departing grievous wolves shall enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Yes, these “wolves” are a bunch of dictators that usurped the authority of the five-fold ministers who were ordained of the Lord Jesus Christ, and they took over the church, usurping every other avenue of God’s wisdom and gifts to the church, “not sparing the flock.” (Act.20:30) And from among your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.

(Act.20:31) Wherefore watch ye, remembering that by the space of three years I ceased not to admonish every one night and day with tears. (32) And now I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build [you] up, and to give [you] the inheritance among all them that are sanctified. This is the job of the five-fold ministry and this is why Paul called the elders to him to explain their job.

(33) I coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel. That’s not true of any of the apostate leaders today, but who is there to stop them? They’re the head. Who is there to say, “No, you can’t do that”? So here Paul is instructing the five-fold ministry, the elders, the bishops, in the ways of the Kingdom and he gives himself as an example. (34) Ye yourselves know that these hands ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me. (35) In all things I gave you an example, that so laboring ye ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

Going back to (Rev.2:15) So hast thou also some that hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans in like manner. (16) Repent therefore; or else I come to thee quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of my mouth. They had to repent of the Nicolaitan error, and part of this error was unqualified elders ruling over the people without the qualified five-fold ministry. If you’re sitting under the Nicolaitan error, you must be ready to change. God said He hates it. The Man-child leaders are coming to change this soon.

(Rev.2:17) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. To him that overcometh, to him will I give of the hidden manna… The “hidden manna” is the Spirit of the Word. The letter is what everybody can see; it’s not hidden, however, (2Co.3:6) … the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. God is able to translate for us the parables of the Old Testament, because that’s what they were. The letter was given to the letter Jew and the Spirit was given to the spiritual Jew, who is the New Testament born-again, born from-above, Jew.

(Rev.2:17) …To him that overcometh, to him will I give of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone… What is this white stone? According to the Old Testament Law, on the Day of Atonement, two goats were presented before the High Priest, and also a pouch with two stones. They were “lots” which were inside the pouch (Lev 16:5-34) and one of those stones was a white stone called “the lot of the Lord.”

The other stone was a black stone called “the lot of the scapegoat.” Without looking, the High Priest would choose a stone from the pouch with his right hand and hold the stone over the right-hand goat. If it was the white stone for the lot of the Lord, that goat would be sacrificed, but the other goat would be set free in the wilderness, which symbolized the Lord’s sacrifice in our place. We were set free and He was sacrificed. That’s the white stone and it represents God’s acceptance of your sacrifice, and the fact that the Lord bore your curse and your sin, and you are free.

(Rev.2:17) …and I will give him a white stone, and upon the stone a new name written, which no one knoweth but he that receiveth it. The “new name” that only the overcomers have and know is the nature, character, and authority of the Father and Jesus.

(Rev.2:18) And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like a flame of fire, and his feet are like unto burnished brass: (19) I know thy works, and thy love and faith and ministry and patience, and that thy last works are more than the first. Yes, this is the way it is supposed to be. I know many people who started out by getting the beam out of their eye so they could see clearly to serve the people of God, and they did serve for a while, but then they went back to serving themselves.

They gave up their ministry and turned away from the Lord and started doing their own thing again. Their “last works” were not more than their first works. God knows everything we do, and we’re going to be judged according to our works, which are all written in His books. Thank God that we have a Blood covering if we’re not willfully disobedient! If you’re seeking out His Will in the Word of God, seeking to be a disciple, seeking to lose your life in order to gain your life, if you’re doing these things, you’re not going to fail. You’re not going to fall away.

(Rev.2:20) But I have [this] against thee, that thou sufferest the woman Jezebel, who calleth herself a prophetess… There is no office of “prophetess” in the five-fold ministry. There’s only the office of “prophet” as part of the five-fold ministry. That’s because a “prophet” is an “elder, bishop, overseer,” and a woman cannot teach or take authority over the man. So here is a Jezebel, whom we know well from the Old Testament as a woman who ruled over her Ahab husband, to both his destruction and to the destruction of his whole family.

All of her children through him, died. They were sentenced to death by the Lord Himself. It’s the same with this “Jezebel.” She teaches, but her teaching leads the people into sin. She teaches, but she’s not supposed to teach. (1Ti.2:11) Let a woman learn in quietness, with all subjection. (12) But I permit not a woman to teach, nor to have dominion over a man, but to be in quietness. And he goes on to say that Adam was the first-formed, and then Eve. She was a help-meet for him. She was to serve him. (13) For Adam was first formed, then Eve; (14) and Adam was not beguiled, but the woman being beguiled (So Adam was not deceived, but Eve was deceived and that was one reason she shouldn’t be a teacher.) hath fallen into transgression: (15) but she shall be saved through her child-bearing, if they continue in faith and love and sanctification with sobriety.

Understand that this Jezebel in Revelation made herself a prophetess; she “calleth herself a prophetess.” It’s possible she was a prophetess before she fell away, because a “prophetess” is just “a woman with a gift of prophecy.” It does not mean she has the office of prophet; there’s a difference. There’s the gift of prophecy and there is also an office of prophet as one member of the five-fold ministry. The gift of prophecy does not give her, as a woman, authority in the church to teach or take authority over the man. It is not permitted, but that is what Jezebel does, and that is what Jezebel spirits do.

They take authority over the man: in the family, in the home, in the church. It’s an evil spirit that leads people to destruction, and because the woman is more easily deceived in these things, she leads others astray. That’s why it is not permitted for a woman to teach or take authority over the man. This is very important to understand and obey this. Now we have an in-depth study covering this subject and about women and their role in our book “The Word, Women and Authority”.

Now let’s go back to (Rev.2:20) But I have [this] against thee, that thou sufferest the woman Jezebel, who calleth herself a prophetess; and she teacheth and seduceth my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed to idols. We’ve seen what it is to partake of “things sacrificed to idols.” An idol is anything more important to you than following and serving the Lord. As for fornication, here is a woman, Jezebel, who is a fornicator in that she is not receiving the seed of the husband. This is spiritual fornication because she is receiving the seed of the devil. The Jezebel spirit is a demon spirit. Somebody who receives a Jezebel spirit is receiving the seed of a very selfish, self-willed, demon spirit that causes a domineering woman to rule over the man, disobeying what the Scripture says.

Maybe you’ve heard the lying excuse preachers will give about how, “All these things passed away with the apostles and it’s different today.” No, it was an everlasting Covenant (Isaiah 24:5, 53:5). We are not to accept anybody who changes the Covenant. (Rev.22:18) I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, if any man shall add unto them, God shall add unto him the plagues which are written in this book:

(19) and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, which are written in this book. That’s because they have led God’s people astray and caused them to disobey His Word. It is very important that we obey His Word. So there is fornication, and Jezebel is teaching people to receive another seed that is not the seed of the Husband, Who is the Lord. The Lord is the Word. We have to obey the Word.

(Rev.2:21) And I gave her time that she should repent; and she willeth not to repent of her fornication. We know that all of Jezebel’s seed were destroyed, and this is a type and shadow for the things to come. The people who follow Jezebel are going to be destroyed. (22) Behold, I cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of her works. It doesn’t sound like they’re going to escape this “great tribulation.” There are people who are going to go through this tribulation and do very well, but Jezebel and her seed will not.

(23) And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he that searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto each one of you according to your works. There are good works and there are evil works. Jezebel is an evil work and those whom she trains are evil works. They’re going to die in great tribulation, like Jezebel’s seed did and Ahab’s seed did. It was Ahab who refused to be the head over Jezebel his wife. Instead, he just gave into her and so both of them and all their seed were destroyed (2 Kings 9).

(Rev.2:24) But to you I say, to the rest that are in Thyatira, as many as have not this teaching, who know not the deep things of Satan (Wow! This is saying that the teachings of Jezebel are “the deep things of Satan.”), as they are wont to say; I cast upon you none other burden. (25) Nevertheless that which ye have, hold fast till I come. (26) And he that overcometh, and he that keepeth my works unto the end (His works wouldn’t be the teachings of Jezebel, they wouldn’t be the Nicolaitan error, and there wouldn’t be Gentiles going back to follow Judaism.), to him (he that overcometh.) will I give authority over the nations…

If you have authority in the church, you first had to be an overcomer. There is no true elder who is not an overcomer because he’s been given authority. He’s not only an authority for the Church, he’s an authority against any nation that would hurt the Church. (Rev.2:26) And he that overcometh, and he that keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give authority over the nations: (27) and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to shivers; as I also have received of my Father: (28) and I will give him the morning star. (29) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. Notice that in every address to the churches, He makes promises only to the overcomer. The overcomer is overcoming all of these temptations to go astray from what is written.

(Rev.3:1) And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars: I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and thou art dead. I’ve always supposed that this name could be “Christian.” (Act.11:25) And he (This is speaking of Barnabus.) went forth to Tarsus to seek for Saul; (26) and when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that even for a whole year they were gathered together with the church, and taught much people, and that the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

The lost people called the disciples “Christians” because they followed in the steps of Jesus. They spoke His Word, they had His Power, they did His Works. It’s sad that many people have taken the name of “Christian” but they haven’t taken on His Name. When we baptize people, we baptize them into the Name of the Lord, Jesus Christ. When you’re baptized and go down in the water, you accept by faith that you have died and are buried with Him in the likeness of His death. The water represents “the washing of water with the Word” (Eph 5:26) and the Word puts to death our old man. So when you go down into the water, you accept by faith that your old man died, and that the One Who comes up is Jesus Christ. You’ve been baptized into His Name and you are now a member of His Body.

(Rev.3:1) …I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and thou art dead. Until we come into the Name, we are “dead” and of no use to ourselves or anyone else. Coming into the Name is, first of all, coming into the revelation of what it represents, which is the Word of God.

The reason we’re here is to bear fruit. Remember the Parable of the Sower, and how it showed that three out of every four people who hear the Word, don’t bear fruit and so they fall away. If you’re side-tracked by Nicolaitan errors or by Jezebel spirits or by any of the other things we’ve been speaking about, you’re not going to bear fruit. You have to overcome your flesh in order to bear fruit, and this is why I’ve said, many times, that when people become Christians, they need to start reading in the New Testament and read and read and read to renew their minds with the Word of God. That’s the only way to know the truth for yourself. We’ve been told to each work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. (Php 2:12)

I know God ordained this for me, but I started reading the Word of God only because my Baptist friend challenged me to do it. I didn’t have any knowledge of the Word of God because I was raised in Catholicism and they don’t teach you the Word of God. Well, that turned out to be a good thing. As I was reading the Bible day and night, since I didn’t have anybody to tell me otherwise, I just believed what I was reading and it was changing my mind and it was changing my life. I learned that the Holy Spirit Himself can teach you. He taught me not to add-to, or take-away-from, the Word. These are principles I learned before I ever went to a church and by the time I did go to a church, I already had the Word in my heart, so I didn’t stick anywhere very long because I realized that these people had gone astray with religion.

Of course, we have to “repent,” which is to “change your mind,” every time we pick up the Word of God and we see what it says. The Lord taught me that, (Psa.119:160) The sum of thy word is truth; … And (Isa.28:10) For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, there a little. It’s a little here and a little there, but when it’s all added up, you don’t have to reject any of it because it all fits together. If you’ll do this, you’ll learn quickly enough whether or not you’re in a Nicolaitan church, a church which is (2Ti.3:5) holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power thereof. From these also turn away. Leave; just leave. The power is manifested through the specialists of the five-fold ministry.

Once you find out what the Church is supposed to look like, you’re a lot less likely to get hung-up in some error and fall away. The “harlot” is a parable of not just a particular religion, but all religion that is apostate, fallen-away, and receiving the seed that is not of the Husband, Christ.

In Jesus’ day. He came to the denominations of Judaism and none of them chose Him. Only those people who came out of those denominations chose Him. They were His Church, His “called-out” ones, and today, we are called out of the apostate denominations of Christianity, just as they were called out of the apostate denominations of Judaism. History always repeats. The things that have been are the things which shall be (Ecc 1:9). We are called out from among them to be separate. (2Co.6:16)

We are called to walk as He walked (1John 2:6). We’re called to be overcomers. With most doctrines in the denominations, you don’t have to overcome anything, but that’s not what the promises to the churches say. That’s why you need to read and find these things out. So He said to the church in Sardis, “You have a name that lives, but you’re dead,” and that’s true of an awful lot of people who call themselves “Christian.”

(Rev.3:2) Be thou watchful, and establish the things that remain, which were ready to die… Feed your spirit man on the Word and you will live. Do what I did 55 years ago; I got rid of all my hobbies. God was my constant hobby after that. Be a disciple of Jesus. Mat 6:33 But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. The heart of man is deceitfully wicked (Jer 17:9). It’s very easy to be deceived. That’s why God sent us His Word, and proved to us that it was His Word by putting a numeric pattern in it. That numeric pattern is God’s “signature.” The Word is His DNA. Its power and life.

(Rev.3:2) …for I have found no works of thine perfected before my God. He’s obviously saying that it’s a normal thing for our works to be perfected before God, but how can that be, except we have a renewed mind? (Rom.12:2) And be not fashioned according to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, and ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. How can our works be perfected if we don’t have this renewed mind, and don’t repent and follow the Lord? Without a renewed mind, we don’t know what the truth is.

(Rev.3:3) Remember therefore how thou hast received and didst hear; and keep it, and repent. What the denominations do is train us to ignore Scriptures that disagree with their pet doctrines. They give us reasons of why we need to overlook this or that or the other, and one of their favorite reasons is, “This all passed away with the apostles.” Well, they can’t give any proof of that, whatsoever, because we’ve seen that the Bible says the exact opposite. The Bible says that it was “an everlasting Covenant” from the time it was made, and that we can’t add to it or take away from it without falling under a curse. (Rev 22:18-19)

(Rev.3:3) …If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. You never know when your time will be up and, therefore, you need to live every day like it’s your last.

(Rev.3:4) But thou hast a few names in Sardis that did not defile their garments… What are these “garments”? (Jud.1:22) And on some have mercy, who are in doubt; (23) and some save, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. Our garments are our works so put on Jesus’ works; Rom 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. The spots are works of the flesh.

There are many people walking with “defiled garments.” Everything they do is fleshly and defiled, and therefore, everything they reap is defiled. (Gal.6:7) Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. (8) For he that soweth unto his own flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth unto the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap eternal life.

When your “garment” is defiled, what you do is defiled and you’re going to reap the same, but God came so that you might sow a good seed and reap a good harvest. Our “actions” are what we “sow” and the Word of God is there to restrict our actions so that we can receive a good harvest. And since our “garments” represent our works, what should we be clothing ourselves with? But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ…

So, how is the Bride dressed? (Rev.19:8) And it was given unto her that she should array herself in fine linen, bright (That’s the Greek word lampros and it’s also translated as “shining, magnificent, gorgeous, splendid.”) [and] pure: for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. (The Bride is radiant and glorious, but what about those who are invited to the marriage feast? What are they wearing?) (Rev.19:14) And the armies which are in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white [and] pure. White here is the Greek word leukos meaning “white”.

Those who are invited to the marriage feast will have the glory that comes with purity, but they will not have the magnificent radiance that is shining forth from the Bride. If you want to be in the Bride, you don’t want your “garment” defiled because the Bride has a spotless and blemishless garment. Everything She knows about the Word, She is being obedient to, because She is walking by faith in the Lord and the Lord is working in Her to will and to do of His good pleasure. And He goes on to say, (Rev.3:4) But thou hast a few names in Sardis that did not defile their garments: and they shall walk with me in white; for they are worthy. Well, now we know that that is about one quarter of the people that received the Gospel according to the parable of the sower.

(Rev.3:5) He that overcometh shall thus be arrayed in white garments; and I will in no wise blot his name out of the book of life… When you’re born again, you’re written in the Book. If you don’t overcome, you’re erased out of the Book. The only people who are not erased out of the Book are the people that overcome. In other words, overcomers know what is right and they know what is wrong, and they’re going to do right. The promise of not being blotted out is only to overcomers. (Rev.3:5) …and I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. The angels administer salvation to those who inherit it. They are the ministers of God’s salvation to us and through us. (Rev.3:6) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.

(Rev.3:7) And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia… This is the church of brotherly love. “Philadelphia” is formed from two Greek words, philos meaning “affectionate friend” and adelphós meaning “brother, brotherly,” i.e., “loving one’s brother.” The Philadelphia church is the greatest of all the churches. Just as Moses, as a type and shadow of the Man-child, married one of seven daughters (Exo 2:16,21), the church in this city, Philadelphia, the church of brotherly love, represents the Bride. The test, of course, is to see how much you love the Lord by keeping His commandments, and how much you love the brethren because you love the Lord. These are the ones who will be chosen.

(Rev.3:7) And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David (David was the ruler in Jerusalem, which was the Bride.), he that openeth and none shall shut, and that shutteth and none openeth. What you bind on earth is bound in heaven. This authority was given to the people of God, but most of them don’t have the faith to exercise it, because they don’t have the knowledge of the Word that brings about the faith. (Rom.10:17) So belief cometh of hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

(Rev.3:8) I know thy works (behold, I have set before thee a door opened, which none can shut)… Praise the Lord! This is an opening for the work of the Lord to go forth. The Philadelphia church in these days is going to bring resurrection life to the rest of the church, just as Jesus, Who was the Man-child, did. He was the Head of the Bride. John the Baptist told his disciples, (Joh.3:29) He that hath the Bride is the Bridegroom …. Jesus raised up those disciples to go forth and raise up the five-fold ministry. Once again, this is going to happen. The disciples of our day are going to go forth and raise up the five-fold ministry which “none can shut.”

(Rev.3:8) … that thou hast a little power, and didst keep my word, and didst not deny my name. It’s easy to deny the Name of the Lord; it’s not just Judas and Peter who denied the Lord. There are a lot of people who deny the Lord because every time you read the Word of God, Who is Jesus Christ, and you deny it, you’re denying the Lord. If you will not subject yourself to the Word, you’re denying the Lord.

(Rev.3:9) Behold, I give of the synagogue of Satan, of them that say they are Jews, and they are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. This speaks of how those natural Jews who will not be born again and become a member of the church, a member of the body of Christ, will be subservient to the Philadelphia church, which He loves. (10) Because thou didst keep the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of trial, that hour which is to come upon the whole world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

In Revelation 17:12, God speaks about that hour when the beast makes war on the saints, which is not about “flying away”; it’s about overcoming so that there is no trial for you. Remember how Moses went through his own wilderness, and that experience prepared him to bring God’s people through the wilderness. It was not so much Moses being tried as it was God’s people being tried. His trial was them. Their trial was the wilderness. Moses had been in the wilderness and he had overcome, or else God would not have used him to bring God’s people there. It was their turn to overcome the wilderness; they had to overcome the fact that they couldn’t do things the way they’d always done things. They had to have faith in God, just as Moses had faith in God.

(Rev.3:11) I come quickly: hold fast that which thou hast, that no one take thy crown. Notice that they had the crown; they weren’t seeking for the crown. In other places, we see that they were promised the crown “if,” because they had to meet a condition, but these people had the crown. They were the “Crown City.” These were the people of God, spotless and blemishless, walking in all the knowledge that they had. (12) He that overcometh, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go out thence no more: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem…

This is the Bride. They have the Name of their God, the nature, character, and authority of their God, which makes them the Bride, which makes them the one of the seven. It makes them the “Esther” who went into the King’s house, but all the rest of the women went back to the house of the women. They were culled and Esther became the Bride, and that’s what we’re talking about here. The new Jerusalem, which is from above, according to John is coming down out of heaven (Rev 21:2), and here we see the same thing. It’s not something that’s going to happen in the future, it’s something that is happening because you’re either being born of this City, the Bride, or you’re being born of the rest of Israel.

(12) …and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God… Notice it says “cometh,” which is present tense. We are being born from above. Paul spoke about coming to the Heavenly City, the New Jerusalem (Hebrews 12:18-29). (Heb.12:18) For ye are not come unto [a mount] that might be touched … (22) but ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable hosts of angels,

(23) to the general assembly and church of the firstborn (Jesus is the firstborn and Jesus in the Man-child is the firstborn in our day. They were the head of the Bride body.) who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect. This is not “a mount that might be touched,” but the apostate church erroneously teaches that this is a physical city which is coming down out of heaven at the end of the tribulation, and some push it even further into the future than that. (12) …and mine own new name. (13) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. Oh, thank You, Father!

This is a great prize! Paul said, (Php.3:12) Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect: but I press on, if so be that I may lay hold on that for which also I was laid hold on by Christ Jesus. (13) Brethren, I count not myself yet to have laid hold: but one thing I do , forgetting the things which are behind (Forgetting past failures), and stretching forward to the things which are before (Seeing Jesus in the mirror by faith.), (14) I press on toward the goal unto the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

And this will be your prize if you are willing to give up your life in this world to follow after Jesus, as those early disciples did. They gave up their selfish desires and anything else that stood in the way of them serving Jesus. They gave it up, and so it is today. Your most important employer is the Lord Himself. Wherever you are, you’re supposed to be representing Him. People will be changed by your witness, by your testimony, by the fact that the Lord, through the Bride, lives in you. People will be changed by that.

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